Tag Archives: Twitter

Justin Bieber has reached over 11 million followers on twitter.

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The ‘Baby’ hitmaker amassed the huge number of fans on the micro-blogging site and was quick to take to twitter to thank his ‘Beliebers’.

He wrote: “WHAAAATTTT?!??! 11MillionBeliebers! I LOVE YOU ALL!! THANK YOU … tonight was already a fun great night and now it is even better. THANK U THANK U THANK U (sic)”

User haileynovak3 pointed out the 17-year-old Canadian singer now has more followers on twitter than there are people in his hometown of Stratford Ontario.

She wrote: “it’s crazy that @justinbieber has more followers than he he had people in his home town, 11millionbeliebers DREAMBIG <3 32 (sic)”

Fan kidrauhlweloveu tweeted: “@justinbieber 11MILLIONBELIEBERS! uve come such a long way! feels like yesterday that u were singing in ur room! dreamsdocometrue (sic)”

Im_applesun added: “@justinbieber our family is getting BIGGER 11millionBeliebers so proud to be part of it, I’ll always support you ;) Congrats Justin (sic)”

Justin is the second most popular celebrity on twitter. Lady Gaga has the most followers, with over 11.5 million people reading her tweets.

Other well known faces in the top ten include US President Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears.

Kelly Osbourne thinks her parents are the “definition of true love”.

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The 26-year-old star – whose mum and dad are Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne – praised the couple’s 30-year marriage, and wished them a happy anniversary.

Writing on her twitter page, she said: “happy anniversary mum and dad! you are the definition of true love! @MrsSOsbourne @OfficialOzzy. 30 years of true love! (sic)”

However, Kelly didn’t take too kindly to the comments of one fan, who suggested Sharon and Ozzy’s relationship was “f****d up” referring to an incident in 1989 when the former Black Sabbath rocker reportedly attempted to strangle his wife.

He tweeted: “@MissKellyO Didn’t your Dad strangle your Mum unconcious? f****d up love if you ask me. (sic)”

To which Kelly replied: “go and f**k yourself with a hedgehog! (sic)”

Sharon recently revealed she was so shocked to receive sexy text messages from her husband, she was convinced a thief had stolen his mobile phone.

She said: “I got a text from Ozzy yesterday and I’m like, ‘Jesus, somebody’s stolen his phone.’ Because I thought somebody found his phone and they were texting me dirty messages.

“And Silvana, my assistant, goes, ‘Oh my god, Ozzy’s just sent you this really dirty text.’ And I’m like, ‘Well it’s not him, somebody must have stolen his phone, he can’t text’. But it was him.”

Apple unveils its magazine and newspaper Newsstand.

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iOS 5 is the next version of Apple’s operating system for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. At Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference on the 6th June 2011 they announced new features and functions that would become available in this forthcoming release.
Apple explained there are over 200 new features, they then went on to highlight and demonstrate some of the most important, including:

The notification center – changing intrusive push messages and SMS notifications into a subtle alert that doesn’t interrupt your workflow.
iMessage – Apple’s answer to BlackBerry Messenger, an iOS to iOS instant messenger application that lets you continue conversations as you move from device to device.
Reminders – A ‘to-do’ or tasks application, allowing you to set tasks and reminders. Most impressively, the app allows you to anchor them to certain GPS positions, (for example, a reminder to “buy milk” when you walk into your local supermarket).
Some of the other features included native Twitter integration, immediate camera access from the lock screen, a vastly improved Safari browser… but most importantly, the Apple Newsstand.

In the keynote presentation, they explained how magazine readers would be able to locate and purchase their newspaper and magazines from a central newsstand, see new issues from outside the app and have them save offline when they become available.

What they didn’t explain was how publishers can make this possible and how this new functionality can be enabled.

Shortly after the Keynote, they released the Beta version of iOS 5 to developers (at around 23:30 GMT) the staff at Stonewash DD&AG were immediately on the case to learn more about the newsstand to understand how our clients and other publishers might be able to take advantage of the new features made available by Apple.

WHAT IS THE NEWSSTAND?

The newsstand is a central place, where iOS users can access their magazines and newspapers. Unlike iBooks, where book publishers supply “.epub” or similar documents, Newsstand publishers will have to create an iOS application (or adapt their existing app). Think of it like a cross between the shelf seen in the iBooks application and applications folders on the home screen.

To make use of the new features, publishers must invoke the newly added “Newsstand Kit framework”. From what we have been able to understand, some simple settings will help an iPhone or iPad recognise that the app as a magazine or newspaper that belongs in the Newsstand. At this point, instead of placing an icon on the home screen (as other applications currently do) the application will be installed in the Newsstand, the cover of the latest edition will be used as the large-format icon, instead of the small, square icons we currently see in use.

“The outcome is that users will be able to access the latest copy of the magazine at their convenience and in most cases the issue will appear on your reader’s device, saved offline, without them having to action anything manually.”

Making your magazine function efficiently on the Newsstand will require your application and your web servers to interact with one another. When a new edition is available your server will need to send a push message to your reader’s device. This message lets their device know that there is a new issue available and instructs the application to begin downloading the files immediately, these new issue alerts are limited to one per day.

The outcome is that users will be able to access the latest copy of the magazine at their convenience and in most cases the issue will appear on your reader’s device, saved offline, without them having to action anything manually.

The latest cover will already be visible from the device’s home screen and the Newsstand “shelf”. A counter and update message will help notify the user that there is a new issue ready.

HOW CAN THIS HELP YOUR MAGAZINE?

There are a number of potential benefits for publishers who may or may not already be publishing their titles to the iOS platform.

Effects of the news from the WWDC conference (immediate) and the imminent release of iOS 5 this autumn include:

Peaked interest in iOS devices and the app store. Along side every Apple release we have seen a peak in application downloads. The ‘buzz’ and amount of media coverage that surrounds any new Apple product reminds current users all over the world to explore the app store, as well as generates a spike in users that are new to the iOS platform.
Peaked interest in newspapers and magazines on the iPad. The story of “Apple versus publishers” has been well covered and in a number of cases, totally misunderstood. This move by Apple will undoubtedly receive coverage from mainstream media, prompting users to search the App Store and the newly formed newsstand for “Magazines & Newspapers”.
Effects of the Newsstand once available on iOS devices include:

Although it has always been possible (and very simple) to notify users of new editions using Apple’s push messaging system, the newsstand allows users to see the latest cover directly from their home screen.
If a new issue is available to a user (for example, if their subscription is active or (we assume) if the issue is free) it is now possible to download this edition onto the user’s device without them having to action or agree to the download. When the user wants to read the new issue, it will already be saved to their device and won’t be subject to the 200-700mb download (and associated waiting time) that we are seeing in some magazines currently being released.
The “Newsstand Store” is dedicated to magazines and newspapers; publishers won’t be fighting for screen real estate against games, utilities and other applications. The increased visibility should increase the number of downloads.
IS THIS GOOD NEWS FOR PUBLISHERS?

We believe so. The fact that there are new functions and features in iOS 5 that are specifically designed to help make magazines and newspapers more functional, more attractive and easier to use show us that Apple have a genuine interest in making the iOS a useful platform for publishers.

Any apps previously released will continue to function in the same way as before, as far as we can see there are no negative changes or restrictions being put in place, just a suite of new features that benefit your applications.

HOW SOON SHOULD WE LOOK TO MAKE USE OF THESE NEW FEATURES?

As soon as possible, and for two main reasons.

Technology moves quickly, if you spent months and months deciding on whether you would like to make use of these new features, they may become outdated. Apple will undoubtedly continue to develop and improve their operating system and to avoid being behind the times you will need to move quickly.

Apple receives an unprecedented level of media exposure around product launches. iOS 5 – and the new iPhone that will almost certainly follow – will be no exception. A spike in traffic interest and activity in iOS applications has the ability to benefit your brand and its application.

We have worked with clients to help them launch applications and projects alongside the iPad, iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 and in all cases there was a noticeable spike in activity, downloads and revenue.

INTERESTING FACTS FROM THE KEYNOTE

There were some fascinating figures released by Apple in yesterday’s keynote speech. We have summarised them below:

Apple sold 25 million iPads in the first 14 months
Over 130 million books have been downloaded from the iBookstore
There are currently over 425,000 apps on the App Store
Over 90,000 of those apps have been specifically designed for the iPad
There have been over 14 billion app downloads from the App Store since it launched
Apple have paid over $2.5 billion dollars to app developers and publishers
Apple have over 225 million iTunes accounts, all with credit card information and 1-click purchasing enabled

Article from; www.stonewash.co
www.ddag.co.uk

Super-injunction Footballer To Sue Twitter

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Social networking site Twitter is being sued by the footballer at the center of the super-injunction storm after it published his identity.

Nick Armstrong, Partner, Sports & Media Group at Charles Russell LLP comments:

“Twitter Inc. and some of its users are being sued in the High Court in London by the individual who obtained an injunction against The Sun and Imogen Thomas concerning allegations about his private life. In the injunction action (see below), and in the new Twitter action, he is referred to as “CTB”. The full case title of the new action is CTB v. Twitter Inc. and Persons Unknown. It is case no. HQ11X01814.

The action was commenced on 18 May. The “persons unknown” are described as those “responsible for the publication of information on the Twitter accounts” but the latter are listed in confidential appendices. It relates to the widely-reported posting on May 8 of a series of “tweets” purporting to name a number of celebrities who had obtained so-called super-injunctions, and describe the activities covered by the injunctions.

It marks the first concerted attempt to deal legally with way in which social media have of late been used an a vehicle for gossip and supposed ‘information’ in an apparent attempt to undermine or evade the authority of the High Court.

The news comes in the week that sees judicial attempts to inject some clarity into a public debate which in the media at least has featured wild and inaccurate comment about the perceived threat posed by “super-injunctions”. For one thing, the injunctions that have caused the debate aren’t super injunctions at all – the term was hijacked in the media to refer misleadingly to the injunctions obtained by celebrities whose identities were anonymised to enable the injunction to be effective. The Neuberger Report (of the Committee on Super-Injunctions) was published on 20 May. It points out that in fact the Super-Injunction is an order which prohibits (i) publishing confidential or private information AND (ii) publicising or informing others of the existence of the order and the proceedings. Super-injunctions are reserved for exceptional cases and are only granted for very short periods, and only where this level of secrecy is necessary to ensure that the whole point of the order is not destroyed. Since January 2010, only two such super-injunctions have been granted, one which was set aside on appeal and the second which was in force for seven days.

That is not the case with the celebrity injunctions, which are termed “Anonymised Injunctions” i.e. the names of either or both of the parties to the proceedings are not stated.

In fact the principles of open justice are respected by Anonymised Injunctions because, since the relevant parties are anonymised, a full judgment can be issued in which the judge sets out his reasons for applying the balancing factors imposed by the Human Rights Act (right to freedom of expression v right to respect for pricate and family life) in making the order. This strikes the balance between open justice, and appropriate protection of privacy where the judge has found that to be required on the basis of the evidence put before him.

This happened this week when Eady J published his judgment in the CTB ‘Anonymised Injunction’ case itself. It should be read ( http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/judgments/2011/ctb-v-ngn-limited-judgment-16052011) by anyone thinking of commenting about the issue of Anonymised Injunctions, as it puts in context much ill-informed comment which has obscured many of the real issues involved in the developing (and still very young) law of privacy enacted by Parliament in 1998 and applied by the judiciary.”

Lady Gaga Aplogises For Slur

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Lady Gaga and Hundreds of Others Apologise for Slur

During an interview with the British music magazine NME, American pop icon Lady Gaga called recent accusations of plagiarism “retarded.”

Ms. Gaga, an outspoken advocate for the LGBT community, has since apologized, acknowledging that her use of the word undermines the social causes with which she frequently associates.

“I consider it part of my life’s work and music to push the boundaries of love and acceptance,” said Gaga in a statement released through celebrity blogger Perez Hilton. “To anyone that was hurt, please know that it was furiously unintentional.”

She continued: “Whether life’s disabilities left you outcast, bullied or teased, rejoice and love yourself today.”

Gaga’s flippant use of “retard” is indicative of how casually the word exists in the English language. To measure how frequently it’s used would be nearly impossible, but TheSocialChallenge.org has been using one particular platform to track its use: Twitter.

Visitors to the site can see the live stream of tweets containing the word, and can send messages asking the tweeters to reconsider their choice of words in the future.

TheSocialChallenge.org has demonstrated that when engaged, like Lady Gaga, users of the word “retard” are likely to apologize.

“It’s really unfortunate when someone with as much influence as Lady Gaga uses that word,” said Holly Roos, an advocate for TheSocialChallenge.org, and a mother of two children with Fragile-X syndrome.

“But through The Social Challenge, in just over a month, we’ve actually had hundreds of people tweet back with apologies, pledging not to use the word in the future. It’s a great opportunity to make a difference, and I’m really glad to see that Lady Gaga thought better of her words, too.”

This month Gaga was an attendee at an event in Paris for the Best Buddies Association, an international nonprofit advocacy group for people with developmental disabilities.

TheSocialChallenge.org is a project that believes all people deserve the same rights and freedoms; that all individuals with developmental disabilities can be best served in the community with the right supports and services; and that advocacy can change lives.

SOURCE TheSocialChallenge.org

The Most Powerful People on Twitter

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I Love Twitter – I’m at @Balavage- so I was excited when i launched the inaugural i Twitter 100

The List reveals the most influential people in Britain on Twitter

Sarah Brown tops list ahead of Stephen Fry


i, the first new national newspaper for 25 years, has today launched the inaugural
i Twitter 100 – a list of the most powerful Britons on Twitter. The list, to be published in the paper today (Tuesday 15th February), is the first time ever that the most influential, rather than most followed, people have been ranked.

The top ten includes commentators from the worlds of comedy, philanthropy, music, fashion and broadcasting with Sarah Brown topping the list. Surprise entries in the top ten are Umair Haque (5), a corporate strategist and blogger, and Zee M Kane (8=) who is editor-in-chief at The Next Web.

The i Twitter 100 top ten is below

1.Sarah Brown
2.Richard Bacon
3. Eddie Izzard
4. Stephen Fry
5. Umair Haque
6. Russell Brand
7. Tinchy Stryder
8= Hilary Alexander
8= Zee M Kane
10. Fearne Cotton

i, the UK’s most innovative paper, worked with the PeerIndex to compile the list using methodology that worked out who holds the most influence and power, not just who has the most followers. The workings are based on the number of re-tweets each person generates and the language associated with them.

Commenting on the results, Independent and i Editor-in-Chief Simon Kelner said;
“Five years ago, Twitter was regarded as a passing fad. Today it is a phenomenon, influencing world events and news stories in every sphere of life. This inaugural list recognises the power of Twitter and those with the most influence.’

Highlights from the list include:

· Sarah Brown, White Ribbon Alliance, (1) knocks Stephen Fry (4) off his perch.

· Richard Bacon is highest DJ (2). Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton (10) beats Chris Moyles (70=).

· Sir Alan Sugar (14=) beats arch rival Piers Morgan (61=).

· Jonathan Ross (27=) beats Piers Morgan (61=) in the battle of the presenters.

· Boris Johnson (36=) is highest politician on the list, followed by ex MP Dr Evan Harris (66=), Tom Watson, Labour MP for West Bromwich East, (68) and John Prescott (93). Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the House is included (91).

· Katie Price, model and business woman features in the list (88=).

· Tinchy Stryder (7) is the highest music entry, beating Lily Allen (36=) and Mark Ronson (97).

· Businessmen include Duncan Bannatyne (12=), Sir Alan Sugar (14=), Theo Paphitis (54=) and Peter Jones (77=).

· Surprise entries in the top ten are Umair Haque (5), a corporate strategist and blogger, and Zee M Kane (8=) who is editor-in-chief at The Next Web.

Breakdown of results by sector

Media

· Digital writers feature highly, with the Guardian’s Jemima Kiss (14=), Bad Science writer Ben Goldacre (18=) and The FT’s Tim Bradshaw (48=) all making the list.

· Broadsheet journalists were well represented with The Telegraph’s fashion guru Hilary Alexander (8=), The Independent’s Johann Hari (20=), The Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger (22=), The Sunday Times columnist India Knight (42=) and Caitlin Moran (96) making the top 100.

· Alastair Campbell, the now author and diarist, is the only PR entry (66=).

Broadcasters

  • C4’s Krishnan Guru-Murphy (24=) comes out top of the TV list, followed by Jonathan Ross (27=).


  • Jonathan Ross (27=) beats Piers Morgan (61=) followed by Jon Snow (70=).


  • BBC correspondents include Robert Peston (31=) and political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg (80=).


  • Richard Bacon is highest DJ (2), followed by; Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton (10), Annie Mac (87) and Chris Moyles (70=).

Comedians

  • Eddie Izzard (3) comes top, followed by Russell Brand (6), Jimmy Carr (31=) and Simon Pegg (36=). Josie Long is the only female comedian (54=).


Music

  • Tinchy Stryder (7) is the highest music entry, followed by instrumentalist Imogen Heap (14=), Lily Allen (36=), Marina Diamandis, Marina & The Diamonds, (61=) and Mark Ronson (97).


Fashion

  • Highest fashion entries are for Telegraph’s Hilary Alexander (8=), fashion bloggers Liberty London Girl (34) and Style Bubble’s Susie Lau (36=).


Politics

  • The politicians to make it are Boris Johnson (36=) and John Prescott (93=). Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the House, is also in (93=). Guido Fawkes (27=), political blogger, makes the top 100.


Internet

  • Digital and corporate strategists include Umair Haque (5), Zee M Kane (8=) and entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox (77=).


  • David Rowan, editor of Wired (70=), and Mike Butcher (14=), editor of TechCrunch, both make it into the top 100.


  • Bloggers include financial journalist Felix Salmon (12=) and Don Tapscott (18=).


Business

  • Three out of five Dragons are included, Duncan Bannatyne (12=), Theo Paphitis (54=) and Peter Jones (77=).


Academics

  • Richard Dawkins (22=), British ethologist and evolutionary biologist, and Tim Harford (20=), The Undercover Economist / Financial Times, are both on the list.


Sports

  • Sportsmen include golfer Ian Poulter (51=), cricketer Michael Vaughan (91), footballer Rio Ferdinand (95) and cricketer Kevin Pietersen (100).

Playing Tag With Cheryl Cole And Jennifer Aniston

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Do you know, I’m almost embarrassed to post this, but it’ll be interesting – promise, even if it’s just for the top 10 further down.

Years of writing news stories and articles. Flogging over a hot keyboard to gain journalism qualifications. It means absolutely sweet FA if no one reads the results of the writer’s Herculean labours.

Journalism, as my colleague Holly Thomas covered recently, is an over-subscribed business. Writing seems to be something a lot of people think they can do.

Let me tell you guys, ranting over Twitter while misspelling everything ain’t journalism. But everyone’s out there, blogging, tweeting, Facebooking (or whatever today’s adjective for being on Facebook is) and rambling on for 18 pages – FRONT AND BACK!

Must be the glamour that attracts people to writing. The joys of getting rained on, on a bitterly frozen Arctic day covering an escaped prisoner from Feltham Young Offenders, waiting for the police to acknowledge your press card while reluctant witnesses hurtle off down the street pursued by journos and TV crew.

Yeah, I’ve done that, and covered a few sporting occasions, which can be another joy. Coaxing comments out of monosyllabic players and managers after they’ve just been on the receiving end of a brutal defeat.

On the bright side, I haven’t yet been clouted. Surprisingly, neither has my friend Emma who works in local news and sometimes has the unenviable task of speaking to grieving family members in search of a story.

As well as newspapers and magazines, I also write web copy for a sports website. Ah, the fun of being called a disgrace to journalism and a London-based hack on the internet. Admittedly, I’ll concede the second point.

Trouble is, that sporting web copy? Often live and very pressured. The moment you press the button, you’re out in the ether. Doesn’t matter if you spot it immediately and correct it, umpteen people around the world have seen it and already – rightly – commented on what a twat you are.

Now you may say that this is contradictory. How can I complain about journalists not being noticed and then whine about it when they are?

Fair point.

Truth is, from a purely personal point of view, I qualified in News Writing, Media Law and Shorthand among others. So while sport has been kind to me in the respect that I’ve been able to keep most of the roof over my head and occasionally eat, I also like to think I have a wider range to offer.

And that’s what Frost does. As a writer and editor, I have a lovely medium to rattle on about pretty much anything for your enjoyment and edification.  Which brings me to the point of this article 13 paragraphs on.

While we have thousands of regular readers, getting brand new, shiny people to pop in to Frost and read us, and hopefully stay to dip in to our box of delights is all about the tags. Those little words and hooks that grab your attention – even if you didn’t want it to. Sorry, but that’s what we do. Engage.

So with that in mind, Google’s most searched terms of 2010 were apparently, in order:

1. chatroulette

2. ipad

3. justin bieber

4. nicki minaj

5. friv

6. myxer

7. katy perry

8. twitter

9. gamezer

10. facebook.

Which is worrying, because as a duffer, I haven’t heard of some of those.

And falling faster than – oh, I don’t know, something really heavy and inert, say a cartoon safe – in 2010, was:

1. swine flu

2. wamu

3. new moon

4. mininova

5. susan boyle

6. slumdog millionaire

7. circuit city

8. myspace layouts

9. michael jackson

10. national city bank.

So, theoretically, if I add all those top 10 most popular terms into an article and tag them myself, (hey, look at that! I just did!)  It should garner some attention.

And then looking into my crystal ball for 2011… Actually, why bother? If I just throw in say, X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Doctor Who, Cheryl Cole, Lady Gaga, Brighton Rock, Manchester United, Barcelona, Jose Mourinho, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, oh, and romcom, I think that’ll do it.

Welcome to Frost. Thank you for stopping by. We love you and please feel free to look around. And come back and tell your friends!

Or you can just wait for them to stumble on the same set of tags and blog/tweet/facebook each other about us. I’m easy either way.

Turn on, Log in, Drop out – Internet Addiction Disorder

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An addiction for the 21st century is causing increasing numbers of desperate parents to seek help for their teenage children.

Internet Addiction Disorder, or IAD, is now as much of a real addiction as drugs and alcohol, according to the renowned Priory Clinic in Roehampton, south west London.

The disorder can lead to mood swings, compulsive lying, loss of interest in studies and a breakdown in real-life relationships, as surfers spend time using and abusing chatrooms, multi-user games such as EverQuest, and social networking sites like Facebook.

Speaking back in 2008, Richard Renson, then Addiction Therapist at The Priory, said: “In some families, money can be tight. Both parents work and children often come back home alone and go straight on to the computer. It becomes a routine and that routine becomes very hard to break.

“It’s lack of communication with another solid human being. Some people say when they’re gaming online, they’ve got thousands of friends, but it’s not communication and emotional involvement. It’s avoidance behaviour.

“One of the hardest things to manage is our emotional world and if you’ve not got any role models and are only using computer-based information, it’s not going to be solid, concrete or useful.”

Two years on, there are currently no statistics outlining the number of UK addicts, but with Facebook and Twitter usage continuing to amass large numbers of followers, the problem is increasing.

Mr Renson estimated at the time that as many as 20 per cent of Priory patients were chronically affected by internet and computer-based addiction.

However, critics argue potential sufferers only use the internet as a medium to fuel other cravings and that internet addiction itself is not a true condition.

Mr Renson firmly believed this was not the case: “There’s more and more evidence to show that it is,” he said.

“We can sensationalise it, but any action a human being takes that is detrimental to their well-being, and seems a repetition, can be classed as an addiction.”

He added: “Evidence also shows there are ‘hot-spots’ in the brain that remain when somebody stops using the computer. It’s exactly the same as when using a substance.”

An addict, speaking to The Times in March, said: “The social thing was something I always had trouble with. It was a lot easier to socialise and make friends online than it was in real life.”

However, treatment is not as simple as stopping use. Instead, it can be a slow and difficult process, requiring considerable after-care.

The key, according to Mr Renson, is tackling the underlying problems that lead to the compulsion.

“If you start off with abstaining from that substance or behaviour, you get to the bottom of how you feel,’ he said. “You can learn how to manage the emotions you probably thought were too hard to manage initially.

“When you’re not intoxicated, inebriated or doing something that avoids feeling, you can start to make sense of it and see that it isn’t so tough.

“But abstinence is quite a tall order. When you take away a behaviour that people have seen as addictive, it can be quite troublesome. People relapse unless you’ve got a support network around you.”

The cure though, can be prohibitively expensive. It costs approximately £20,000 for a 28-day programme at The Priory, although medical insurance may cover certain cases.

“It may sound like quite a lot of money,” said Mr Renson. “But you can’t put a price on a person’s quality of life. If you can give somebody back their life, it’s money well spent.

“We’re doing quite a lot of education around general compulsive behaviour and addictions,” he added.

“For better or for worse, The Priory has a reputation for treating the rich and the famous, but we have a social conscience.

“We want people to experience the world and the beauties of it. You can’t do that if you’re sitting at a computer.”