Digital Addiction: MP Seeks Govt Intervention

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Tuesday raised concern in the Rajya Sabha over the unregulated exposure of children and adolescents to social media, calling for timely government intervention to address rising digital addiction.

Citing international examples during Zero Hour in the House, Jha said that in 2025 Australia enacted a law prohibiting children under 16 years of age from using smartphones after studies revealed that 96 per cent of children aged 10 to 15 use social media, with seven in 10 exposed to harmful content.

"In India, a 2025 LocalCircles study found that 82 per cent of children aged 14 to 16 can operate smartphones, but only 57 per cent primarily use them for educational purposes," Jha said.

He added that media research indicates that 11-37 per cent of children exhibit problematic smartphone usage, leading to language and communication setbacks, impaired social and emotional learning, poor motor development, disrupted sleep and reduced concentration.

Jha argued that India needs a well-defined and comprehensive policy to regulate children's exposure to social media and digital platforms.

"I strongly support deliberation in this House to curb excessive screen time among toddlers, pre-teens and teenagers," he said.

While digital classrooms were unavoidable during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jha stressed that parents and school administrations must now actively monitor screen duration and content quality.


Referring to the Indian Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines, he said early exposure to screen-based media and excessive screen time are widely prevalent among Indian children.

He also cited a recent study based on a survey of 3,624 parents across five Indian states, which found that screen exposure among children aged two to five far exceeds World Health Organization guidelines, underscoring the need for urgent safeguards to protect developmental outcomes.

Highlighting the widespread availability of smartphones, Jha noted that over 85 per cent of Indian households own such devices, making them easily accessible to children.

"The House may consider debating whether smartphone packages should carry a statutory usage advisory," he suggested.

He further pointed out that the Economic Survey 2025–26 has flagged the rapid rise of digital addiction and screen-related mental health issues as a major healthcare concern, particularly among children and adolescents.

"A timely intervention to safeguard the developmental milestone of India's adolescents is essential to leverage India's demographic dividend in realizing the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047," Jha said. PTI JP ANU

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