New Delhi: India’s Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, flagged digital addiction as a growing public health concern and suggested age-based access to online platforms, reduced reliance on online teaching, and stronger safeguards for children to limit exposure to harmful content. The Survey said near-universal internet access among young people means policy attention must now shift from access to behavioural health, content quality, wellbeing impacts, and digital hygiene.
The Survey recommended that age-based access limits be considered for online platforms, particularly social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising. It said platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, noting that younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful material. Schools were identified as central to shaping digital habits, with a call for a Digital Wellness Curriculum covering screen time literacy, cyber safety, and mental health awareness. It also advised cutting back online teaching tools that expanded during the Covid-19 period in favour of offline engagement.
Speaking to reporters after the Survey’s release, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said he had heard that Andhra Pradesh and Goa governments were exploring ideas around age-based access policies. “But as I said, some of these things need not necessarily be only at the policy level. These are aspects to be dealt with by civil societies, educational institutions, parents themselves and policy can help,” he said. Asked whether India was considering a policy similar to Australia’s approach to children’s social media use, he said, “I don’t have any idea whether the Government of India is contemplating something like that.”
The Survey encouraged families to set screen time limits, device-free hours, and shared offline activities, and proposed parental workshops through schools and community centres to help guardians recognise signs of addiction and use parental controls effectively. It also suggested promoting simpler devices such as basic phones or education-only tablets with usage limits and content filters, and network-level safeguards like family data plans that differentiate between educational and recreational use with default blocking of high-risk categories. Citing research, the Survey said digital addiction is affecting academic performance, workplace productivity, and mental health among youth and adults. It noted that social media addiction is strongly linked to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and cyberbullying stress, with studies showing high prevalence among those aged 15 to 24. Compulsive scrolling and social comparison were associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.
The report referred to international responses in countries including Australia, China, South Korea, Brazil, France, Spain, Finland, Japan, and several US states. It also highlighted data gaps in India, saying the lack of comprehensive national data hampers targeted interventions. The upcoming Second National Mental Health Survey, led by NIMHANS and commissioned by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, is expected to provide actionable insights.
The Survey cited the World Health Organisation’s classification of Gaming Disorder in the International Classification of Diseases, noting evidence of sleep disruption, aggression, social withdrawal, and depression, particularly among adolescents. It added that online gambling and real-money gaming are linked to financial stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, while binge-watching and short video compulsion are associated with poor sleep, reduced concentration, and higher stress levels.