Editorial for “Positive Computing: A New Partnership Between Psychology, Social Sciences and Technologists”

In 2016, almost three and a half billion people, or 46 % of the world population, have an internet connection (internetlivestats 2016).The number of mobile phone users is even higher: more than four and a half billion people own a mobile (or smart) phone (statista.com 2016).Interactive technology is ubiquitous, influencing the daily practices of many people all over the planet.Technology especially permeates the lives of young people whereby those aged 8-18 years spend more time on electronic screens than they do with their parents or at school (Rideout et al. 2010).Although interactive technologies afford conveniences and efficiencies, the overall contribution of this technology to wellbeing has been a topic of ongoing debate.Some highlight how new technologies inform, liberate and enrich our lives, whereas others suggest that the new technologies too often impoverish our experiences and self-regulation of behaviours, distracting us from relationships and compromising health-promoting activities such as physical activity and sleep.These concerns come at a time when researchers are identifying increases in mental illnesses like depression and anxiety particularly for young people (Sawyer et al. 2012).Some people are asking: now that we have all this new technology why aren't we happier?The fact is that much of today's technology was not designed with an explicit focus on wellbeing, nor was it informed by knowledge about the conditions that facilitate it.In fact, we often do not understand the impact of new technologies on wellness until well after they come to market, as we see how people use or abuse new devices and applications.Yet with careful forethought and design, there is the possibility of using designing technology to foster well-being.Well-designed programs and devices can augment people's physical and metal wellness and, given the sheer numbers of people who use interactive technologies, do so at a scale that traditional "on the ground" interventions cannot capture.Yet if technology is to be recruited in an effort to improve worldwide wellbeing, then we need new partnerships between psychologists, social scientists, designers and engineers.A broadening in the interdisciplinarity of technology design will enable us to both better understand the psychological and behavioural impact of new technologies and applications, and to develop basic expectations for their design and implementation.