Statsguru: Childhood on digital screen amid curbs on social media access

UK plans to ban social media for under-16s by 2027, joining global efforts as India flags rising screen time, cyber risks and calls for stricter digital age controls

The United Kingdom will soon join a wave of countries restricting children’s access to social media. Its prime minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that the country will ban platforms for under-16s, effective from 2027, following similar moves by Australia, Brazil,  Indonesia and Malaysia. India has flagged the same concern in  the latest Economic Survey.  Smartphone use among children aged 10-14 in India rose 54 percentage points between 2020 and 2023 — the steepest increase across all age groups. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were the first Indian states to act, curbing children’s social media access in early March. 

Australia became the first country to bar children under 16 from social media. 

 

Smartphone use among 5-19 age group saw higher rise between 2020-23 than other groups in India. Besides, the usage among 15-19-year-olds is  now near-universal at 91 per cent.  

 

Indian children’s screen time nearly triples World Health Organization recommendations.  

 

Cyber-crimes against children rose 59 per cent between 2020 and 2024 in India, with cyber pornography accounting for 1,099 of the 1,753 cases recorded in 2024.  

 

In a recent survey, three in five parents in India said their children turned aggressive after using social media, just one in five reported their child was happier.  

 

India’s mobile penetration slipped to 79.35 subscriptions per 100 people in 2024, trailing other nations that restrict children’s access.