StatsGuru: Scroll steals childhood as screen-time concerns intensify

As India debates age limits on social media amid rising child screen time and cybercrime, global precedents and domestic data are pushing policymakers toward tighter regulation

French President Emmanuel Macron had a clear message for India at the recent India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi: Join France, Spain and other nations in restricting children’s access to social media. Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking at the summit, confirmed India was in active talks with social media companies on age-based restrictions. With 472 million — nearly 39 per cent of its population — under 18, India’s choice will matter.  The Economic Survey 2025-26 flagged rising digital addiction and screen-related mental health issues among children and adolescents. States like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa have already proposed age-based restrictions. 

While Australia became the first to enforce a social media ban for children in December 2025, France and the UK followed soon after. 

 

Indian children consistently exceed screen-time limits recommended by the World Health Organization. Notably, 95 per cent of those aged 16-18 years already own a smartphone. 

 

The basic digital task proficiency rose by 2.8 percentage points for Indian girls and 2 percentage points for boys between 2023 and 2024. 

 

In a recent survey, 30-58 per cent of Indian parents reported negative effects of social media on their children, while only 19 per cent said their child was happier. 

 

Cybercrime against children rose sharply in the six years ended 2023, with Kerala and Karnataka topping the list. 

 

Rural India overtook urban in internet users in 2021, and the country’s internet penetration reached nearly 60 per cent in 2024.