Brief Context
Context The Economic Survey 2025-26, has flagged the rapid rise of digital addiction and screen-related mental health problems as a major healthcare issue, particularly among children and adolescents. Digital Addiction as an Emerging Public Health Issue The Survey recognises excessive screen time and social media usage as contributors to anxiety, depression, attention disorders, sleep disruption, obesity, and lifestyle diseases. Children and adolescents are identified as neurologically and psych
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Syllabus: GS2/ Health
Context
- The Economic Survey 2025-26, has flagged the rapid rise of digital addiction and screen-related mental health problems as a major healthcare issue, particularly among children and adolescents.
Digital Addiction as an Emerging Public Health Issue
- The Survey recognises excessive screen time and social media usage as contributors to anxiety, depression, attention disorders, sleep disruption, obesity, and lifestyle diseases.
- Children and adolescents are identified as neurologically and psychologically more vulnerable to compulsive digital use due to addictive platform designs.
- Behavioral tracking and targeted advertising exploit children’s cognitive vulnerabilities, reinforcing addictive consumption patterns.
Key Recommendations of the Economic Survey 2025-26
- Age-Based Limits: The Survey calls for consideration of age-based limits on access to social media platforms to address growing concerns about digital addiction among children and adolescents.
- Stricter Age Verification: Online platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification processes so that minors cannot easily create accounts or access content meant for adults.
- Age-Appropriate Default Settings: Platforms should adopt age-appropriate defaults, meaning settings that are tailored to protect younger users by default.
- Targeted Advertising: The Survey also recommends curbs on targeted advertising specifically for minors, and restrictions on features like auto-play that can exacerbate compulsive use.
Initiatives taken by Government
- The Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025, bans online money games involving wagering and introduces a licensing framework for skill-based games.
- Tele-MANAS, a 24/7 mental health helpline with an app to assist with technology addiction.
- The SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, is India’s first specialized center dedicated to treating technology addictions, such as excessive gaming, social media use, and mobile dependence.
- The Digital Detox Centre (“Beyond Screens”) in Karnataka, a resource for counseling and therapy.
Global Best Practices
- Australia has enacted the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, making it the first country to impose a statutory minimum age of 16 years for social media use.
- France has moved to restrict social media access for users under 15, requiring parental authorization to create accounts, with the bill passing the lower house in 2026.
Way Ahead
- The stress should be given on a strategic transition from a treatment-centric model to a public and preventive healthcare-led approach.
- There is a need for Integration of mental health services with schools and higher educational institutions.
- Dedicated counsellors must be trained and deployed at scale to normalise help-seeking behaviour among children and adolescents.
- Network-level safeguards should be strengthened through differentiated data plans that clearly separate educational usage from recreational consumption.
Source: TH