People around the world are becoming information addicts because they are having to deal with more information than ever before, according to a survey commissioned by Reuters. The survey suggests that a new generation of "dataholics" may be merging. Based on a survey of 1,000 people in the UK, US, Ireland, Germany, Singapore and Hong Kong, the survey shows that over half of the respondents "crave" information.

Some 50 per cent of the respondents said that if information was a recognised drug, they would know people who would be considered as addicted.