When I was a postgraduate student at the University of Oxford in the early 2000s, I interviewed for a major consulting firm. All my friends were being recruited, and I thought why not give it a shot? Aside from the usual maths-proficiency test (how quickly can you crunch numbers in front of a client and look smart), I was asked about what the future of streaming could look like. I gave a long-winded answer about the unintended consequences of changing how humans interact with each other when a new technology is introduced, and why this may not be in the best interests of health and society.

I even remember saying something like: “Can you imagine just being stuck at home, alone, watching show after show and never having to move or see any other people? Why would anyone choose that over going out to rent a DVD at a local shop, or to a movie theatre?” You won’t be surprised to learn that I wasn’t invited for a follow-up interview.

The partner at the consulting firm thought my answer was completely wrong. They saw the potential growth and profitability of streaming – and you could say, in hindsight, they had a point: Netflix’s global revenue continues to rise year on year, reaching $12.6bn (£9.5bn) in 2026. My answer, on the other hand, focused on its societal and health consequences.

But if you look at the negative impact that excessive screen-time has had on health and wellbeing, especially on children, perhaps I wasn’t wrong after all. We know that social isolation is now widespread,........

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