Legal aspects of problematic Internet usage

Although problematic Internet use (PIU) is not recognized as a distinct psychiatric disorder in ICD-11 or DSM-5, forms of PIU are frequently raised in civil and criminal litigation. How should courts respond to the uncertainty surrounding this diagnostic concept? In this article, we discuss how PIU is treated in the legal system and describe ongoing efforts to regulate 'addictive' or otherwise negative aspects of the Internet. Until PIU gains greater acceptance in the field, we recommend that this diagnosis be used with caution in forensic settings.