UK Parliament POSTnote is a source of reliable and impartial scientific research for Parliament. A series of new future research POSTnotes have been recently improved, including:
Public health impacts of heat and humidity
The Climate Change Committee has forecasted that the number of deaths related to heat in the UK will rise by 250% by 2050. This POSTnote will explore the public health impacts of heat and humidity under a changing climate, to outline which population groups are most vulnerable and public health actions that can be taken to prepare and reduce the impacts of these risks. Work on this briefing will commence in February 2024, and stakeholder contributions will be accepted until early April 2024.
Cybersecurity of the metaverse
This POSTnote, Cybersecurity of the metaverse, examines the cybersecurity concerns with virtual world technologies, such as the metaverse. It defines the term, introduces the technologies involved, and identifies potential cyber-attacks and causes of cyber security challenges. The analysis intends to give an overview of current legislation and the potential implications of the metaverse for regulation and law enforcement. Work on the briefing will commence in January 2024, with publication anticipated in Spring/Summer 2024; stakeholder contributions will be accepted until March 2024.
6G – Next-generation mobile communication technologies
Mobile Broadband is an integral part of critical national infrastructure. This POSTnote will explore 6G – next-generation mobile communication technologies, to provide an overview of the evolving mobile communications network. This includes potential new applications and barriers to address before release, ensuring full radio spectrum availability, and builds on previous 5G Technology (2019) and the UK Broadband Infrastructure (2015). Work on this briefing will commence in March 2024, and stakeholder contributions will be accepted until May 2024.
Trust in broadcasters and news providers
Public trust in the news and media is essential during crises, emergencies and disasters. Furthermore, the UN advocates that trust between the public, government and public bodies is essential for social, economic, and environmental progress and democracy. Public surveys from 2022 found that trust in the UK was especially low for the press and news media, and the UK had one of the lowest levels of trust in the press internationally. This POSTnote will examine UK levels of trust in public and private broadcasters and news providers, by examining historical and international comparisons alongside changes in news consumption to consider factors that contribute to the lack of public trust, the impact this has, and actions that can be taken to address this. Work on this briefing will commence in January 2024, and stakeholder contributions will be accepted until the end of April 2024.
Disinformation
Disinformation is false information spread to deceive people, such as false health information during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence suggests it can manipulate public opinion, undermine trust, and threaten democracy. This POSTnote, Disinformation, will examine the prevalence, risk and impact, means of dissemination and amplification and those who might be most vulnerable. The POSTnote is intended to highlight the mitigation and risk management activities the UK government and regulators are taking in response. Work on this briefing will commence in January 2024, and stakeholder contributions will be accepted until early March 2024.