Dr. Rachael Kent is a leading researcher, author, consultant, podcast host, and Senior Lecturer in Digital Economy and Society at King’s College London, where her research examines the impact of digital technology on mental and physical health.

Expertise and Public Engagement

Consultancy

Dr. Kent is the founder of tech-wellbeing consultancy Dr. Digital Health, providing evidence-based research and strategy for businesses and employees on managing tech saturation, and how tech ‘addiction’ impacts mental and physical health in everyday professional and personal life. Some of Dr. Kent’s clients include the NHS, the UK Government, Vivo Barefoot, Paramount, and CBS.

Dr. Rachael Kent v. Apple Inc.

Dr. Kent is the first female class representative in UK legal history, leading a collective action against Apple on behalf of 19.6 million UK consumers, alleging they have breached competition law and overcharged for app purchases, seeking £1.5bn in compensation.

See: Competiton Appeal Tribunal | Press & Interviews Here

Podcast

Dr. Kent is the host of 'Digital Health Diagnosed: Your Dose of Tech Wellbeing' produced by Mic'd Productions, the first evidence-based podcast diagnosing how technology impacts your health. Digital Health Diagnosed has been featured on ITV News and has high-profile expert guests such as Ben West, Sophie Medlin, and Made in Chelsea's Miles Nazaire.

Publications & Press

Dr. Kent’s first book ‘The Digital Health Self-Wellness, Self-Tracking, and Social Media’ was published in May 2023 by Bristol University Press. Dr. Kent's research regularly appears in press and podcasts including BBC News, Forbes Magazine,  Runners World, BrainCare Metro UK, Heat Magazine, Women and Home Magazine, The Daily Mail, The Independent, MixMag Health and Wellbeing Magazine, and Glamour Magazine.

Research Interests and PhD Supervision

• COVID-19 and digital behaviours
• Digital health and food cultures
• Technology 'addiction' and digital detoxing
• Quantified-self and self-tracking
• Datafication and surveillance
• Identity and mediated bodies
• Social media and (self-) representation
• Ethnography and qualitative research methods

Teaching

Dr. Kent teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels on many areas of digital culture and society: AI and machine learning, social media, identity and representation, online communities, digital health, self-tracking, surveillance, and the medical humanities.

Selected Publications

Academic Publications

(2024) (In) visibility of health and illness: Instagram as an unregulated public health platform. Anthropology & Medicine, 1–16.

(2023) ‘The Digital Health Self: Wellness, Tracking and Social Media’. Bristol University Press.

(2023) Frey AL, Baines R, Hunt S, Kent R, Andrews T, Leigh S. Association Between the Characteristics of mHealth Apps and User Input During Development and Testing: Secondary Analysis of App Assessment Data. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. Nov 22 ;11:e46937. doi: 10.2196/46937. PMID: 37991822; PMCID: PMC10701645.

(2022) ‘From the Welfare State to DigitalSelf-Care: Historical Context of Tracking Healthand Quantifying Bodies’. In (Ed) Ajana, Btihaj. The Quantification of Bodies in Health. Emerald

(2022) Tutorful Reports: How to Improve Learning Using Digital Technology, Chapter 6.

Kent, R. (2021) 'Digital Food Tracking: Combining Traditional and Digital Ethnographic Methods to Identify the Influence of Social Media Sharing of Health and Food Upon Users’ Everyday Lives' In Krogager, S, G, Stinne. and Leer, Jonatan. (eds) Research Methods in Digital Food Studies. Routledge.

Kent, R. (2020) ‘Self-Tracking Health Over Time: From the Use of Instagram to Perform Optimal Health to the Protective Shield of the Digital Detox’, Social Media +Society Special Issue: Studying Instagram Beyond Selfies

Kent, R. (2020) Self-Tracking and Digital Food Cultures: Surveillance and Representation of the Moral ‘Healthy’ Body. In Lupton, Deborah and Feldman, Zeena. (eds.) Digital Food Cultures. Routledge.

Kent, R. (2018) Social Media and Self-Tracking: Representing the ‘Health Self'. In: Ajana B. (eds) Self-Tracking. Palgrave Macmillan: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65379-2_5

Media & Journalism

(2024) ITV News ‘Digital Health Diagnosed Featured on ITV News’

(2024) Cycling Weekly ‘'Absorb the world around you and let your mind wander' - you may find that it's more addictive than data’

(2024) The Standard ‘Apple’s response to laws aimed at boosting competition between large and small tech firms is cynical’

(2024) Dazed Magazine ‘How glucose trackers became a status symbol’

(2023) Daily Mail ‘Inside the new AA for Internet Addicts’

(2023) Closer Magazine ‘The Worrying Rise of the ‘Armchair Detective’

(2023) Konbini ‘We went a month without Instagram (and we discussed it with a digital health expert’

(2022) Stylist Magazine ‘Is your stress tracker stressing you out?’

(2022) Glamour Magazine ‘Lensa AI avatar portraits are popping up all over social media, but is it a step back for body positivity?’

(2022) HEAT Magazine 'Is Fit-Tech Ruining Your Health'

(2022) Women and Home Magazine 'Are You an Internet Addict'

(2022) The Daily Mail 'Apple Face Courtroom Showdown'

(2022) The Independent 'Apple Facing full trial over anti-competitive App Store claims'

(2022) Health and Wellbeing Magazine 'How to Spring Clean Your Scroll'

(2022) MixMag ‘Have You Got Rave Fatigue – Why we’re all so tired after lockdown’

(2022) The Innovation Group: Innovating Business and Organisation’s Through ICT ‘Lockdown and post-pandemic stress, how to get out of it’

Meet the British Academic Taking on Apple in 1.5bn Legal Challenge - The I Paper

(2021) The Sun ‘TAKE A WEIGHT OFF: The four signs you need to go on a digital diet – for the sake of your health’

(2021) Business Community Magazine ‘Five Tips to Combine Smart-Working and Wellbeing’

(2021) Start Up Italia ‘How to Break with Smartphone & co’

(2022) Law Society Gazette: Apple’s bid to reveal ATE premiums refused by tribunal

(2021) Financial Mail: Apple faces landmark legal claim that could pay out to millions: Rip-off that adds 30% to price of smartphone apps

Metro UK (November 2021)'How to Stop Mindless Scrolling'

BBC Scotland 'The Nine' show interview (October 2021) 'Tik Tok and Tourettes; mental & physical health impacts

The Independent (October 2021) 'What happens psychologically when we're cut off from social media

Stylist Magazine (June 2021)'Re-entry Fatigue: Feeling extra tired post-lockdown? Here to boost your energy'

The Independent (March 2021),'1/3 People are addicted to their phones, here's how to break up with your device'

The Independent (Feb 2021) 'Facebook will finally remove false vaccine claims, including that jabs cause autism'

Down to Flow at Home (Feb 2021) 'Talking Digital Health with Dr. Rachael Kent'

Global Women 4 Wellbeing, Facebook Live Interview, (Feb 2021) 'Digital Health & Ethical Guidelines to Reduce 'Always on Culture

Metric Life, (Nov 2020) 'COVID-19, Toxic Productivity & Technology Overload: Our New Visceral Digital Life',

Metro Newspaper (Nov 2020) 'Lockdown 2.0: Staying the Course',

Metro UK (Oct 2020) 'Bullying, eating disorders and death, the dark side of a decade of Instagram,

Forbes Magazine, (May 2020) 'Should we all social media detox after the pandemic',

Spotlight on COVID-19, (May 2020) Investigating COVID-19's Effect on Digital Behaviour, King's College London A&H Research

The Know Show Episode14, (April 2020) 'The Impact of COVID-19 on Communication & Socialising'

Podcast Interviews

(2024) Dan Osman’s Ramblings of a Madman Podcast ‘Identity, Discipline & Digital Authenticity with Dr. Rachael Kent-Aitken’

(2024) Digital Health Diagnosed: Your Dose of Tech Wellbeing

(2024) Dan Osman’s Ramblings of a Madman Podcast ‘Social Media, Antisocial Media & Your Digital Health with Dr. Rachael Kent’

(2024) Relax Back Radio ‘What is Digital Health and is it any good for us?

(2022) A Need To Read Podcast ‘How Technology and Social Media are Impacting our Health’

(2021) Brain Care Podcast 'Technology & Mental Health with Dr. Rachael Kent'

(2021) Runners World Podcast, 'Fitness Trackers, Social Media & the Impact on Mental Wellbeing',

(2020) The Know Show Podcast Episode #14 The Impact of COVID-19 on Communication & Socialising

(2020) The Know Show Podcast Episode #9 Health Tracking Dangers & Data Surveillance

Dr. Rachael Kent v. Apple Inc.

Mainstream Media

Financial Times: Apple CFO denies company enjoys 75% margin on its App Store – January 16, 2025. Syndicated by Benzinga, Digital Market News, AppleInsider, 9to5mac, iPhone in Canada Blog, Hacker News, Lonely Brand, Ainvest, Ground News, FirstPost, BeamStart, MacHash, MooMoo, The Gig Thing, Tech Hub Social, Algolia, Sqox

Financial Times Full Disclosure: All eyes on Apple’s UK class action lawsuit – January 16, 2025.

Bloomberg: Apple Faces Claims of Making ‘Exorbitant Profits’ at UK Trial – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by Gadgets 360, Pymnts

Reuters: Apple fights $1.8 billion App Store lawsuit in first of UK class actions against tech giants – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by Verdict, Claims Journal, MSN

Wall Street Journal: Apple Faces $1.8 Billion Lawsuit in U.K. Court Over App Store – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by AA Media, MorningStar

Financial Times: Apple £1.5bn class action case kicks off in UK courts – January 12, 2025. Syndicated by Business Cloud, Chosun Biz, Medianama, iPhone in Canada, Techloy, News Central, MacRumors

The Times: Apple rejects shareholder proposal to scrap diversity programmes – January 13, 2025

The Guardian: Apple to face court over claims it overcharged UK users on App Store – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by 9 to 5 Mac

City AM: Apple is first of the big tech firms to face a UK class action trial – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by Business Live, MSN

Consumer Voice: Apple goes on trial for overcharging UK consumers by £1.5 billion – January 13, 2025

AFP: Billion-pound lawsuit against Apple over App Store opens in UK – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by Yahoo!, Fortune, Barron’s, NewsBytes, Devdiscourse, The Korea Times, Daily Journal, Inquirer, France 24, Punch, Profit, News of Bahrain, Gagadget, FirstPost, Madhyamam, Courthouse News Service, Grifton News, Digital Market News, Wall Street Pit, Daily Gazette

Proactive Investors: Apple faces £1.5bn UK 'class action' over App Store charges – January 13, 2025

United Press International: Apple begins trial in Britain over claims it overcharged App Store users – January 13, 2025. Syndicated by Breitbart

Legal Media

Law360: Apple CFO Challenges App Store Profit Claim In £1.5B Trial – January 16, 2025

Law360: Apple Tells UK Trial That App Developers Get Fair Price – January 14, 2025

Law360: Apple Accused At Trial Of 'Eliminating' App Store Competition – January 13, 2025

Law.com: Apple’s £1.5 Billion App Store Class Action Trial Gets Underway – January 13, 2025

Law360: Apple Showdown Starts 1st Wave Of Big Tech Class Actions – January 10, 2025

Lawyer Monthly: Apple Faces £1.5bn Class Action in UK Over App Store Commissions – January 13, 2025

Global Competition Review: Apple CFO defends App Store pricing in UK class action trial – January 16, 2025

Global Competition Review: Apple accuses UK class rep of making “inappropriate” App Store claims – January 15, 2025

Global Competition Review: UK Apple trial will lay out broad principles for dominant tech platforms – January 10, 2025

The Lawyer: Hausfeld v Gibson Dunn: What to expect from this week’s Apple class action – January 13, 2025

MLex: Apple’s success down to healthy competition, it argues in UK mass claim trial – January 14, 2025

MLex: Apple’s rivals ‘shut out’ from its app ecosystem, UK mass claimant tells judge – January 13, 2025

Tech Media

The Register: British tribunal claim aims to take a bite out of Apple over App Store fees – January 15, 2025

UK Tech News: Apple goes to trial in £1.5bn UK competition lawsuit – January 13, 2025

TechRound: Apple Faces UK Lawsuit Over App Store Fees – January 13, 2025

Apple Insider: UK trial over Apple's App Store fees seeks $1.83B fine – January 12, 2025. Syndicated by Bundle, Silicon Angle

Computer World: Apple execs head to London to fight for the App Store – January 13, 2025

More Media Coverage

Meet the British Academic Taking on Apple in 1.5bn Legal Challenge - The I Paper

Apple’s UK users deserve app price compensation, claim says – BBC News

Apple faces billion-pound legal action over App Store charges – Press Association

Apple Faces UK Class Action for Overcharging 20 Million Users – Bloomberg

Apple faces £1.5billion legal battle after being accused of 'overcharging' millions of UK customers for apps in its App Store – Daily Mail

Apple reveals it rejected or removed over 1MILLION malicious apps from its App Store in 2020 and stopped more than $1.5billion in potentially fraudulent transactions – Daily Mail

Apple accused of breaking UK competition law by overcharging for apps – The Guardian

Apple sued over ‘exorbitant’ fees on smartphone apps – The Times

Apple accused of iPhone app store overcharging – The Telegraph

I-MOAN - Millions of UK iPhone users ‘could get £75 payout EACH’ from Apple over ‘unfair’ app prices – The Sun

Apple App Store Sued for £1.5bn – The Sun

Apple facing £1.5bn legal claim with millions to get refunds for overpriced apps – The Mirror

Apple Faces UK Class Action Over App Store Charges – Dow Jones Institutional News

Apple faces UK legal claim over App Store charges – AFP

Apple faces £1.5bn claim for ‘overcharging’ on apps – Metro

Millions of Apple customers could be owed cashback in App Store ‘overcharging’ lawsuit – Evening Standard

Apple hit with £1.5bn UK lawsuit over ‘excessive’ app store charges – City A.M.

Apple: ‘Our App Store approach strengthens our privacy measures’ – i

Lecturer sues Apple over 'unlawful' fees – i

UK Apple CPO representative says digital trace will reveal losses – PaRR

Apple Dispute: A New Era of UK Class Actions? – Law.com

Hausfeld and Litigation Funder Launch £1.5 Billion Group Action Against Apple – Law.com

Apple faces collective action lawsuit seeking compensation for 20 million UK users – Mashable

Apple Hit With £1.5B Lawsuit Over App Store Charges – Law360

Apple slapped with UK class action over app payments – Proactive Investors

Apple faces UK class-action over "excessive" App Store charges – IT Pro

Apple hit with £1.5bn UK class action over alleged App Store overcharging – The Global Legal Post

UK class action lawsuit targets Apple's "anti-competitive practices" – Games Industry

UK consumers seek £1.5B from Apple – Mobile World Live

Apple hit by £1.5bn lawsuit over App Store 'overcharging' – Mac World

Radio

Rachael Kent interviewed on BBC World Service

Rachael Kent interviewed on BBC Radio 4