Syllabus: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Context: Trigger for Debate
- February 2026 Ghaziabad tragedy involved three minor sisters ending their lives.
- Preliminary reports linked incident to screen addiction and family conflict.
- Public discourse quickly demanded bans on social media platforms.
- Emotional responses risk oversimplifying complex mental health challenges.
Evidence on Social Media Harm
- Studies show links between heavy social media use and adolescent distress.
- Associations include anxiety, depression, self-harm tendencies, body image dissatisfaction.
- Teenage girls appear particularly vulnerable to these harms.
- Most studies are global, yet signal caution for India.
Global Trend Toward Bans
- Australia banned under-16 social media accounts across major platforms.
- Law mandates age verification with heavy financial penalties.
- Spain proposed similar restrictions with executive accountability provisions.
- Such measures reflect rising global regulatory anxiety.
Why Blanket Bans May Fail in India
- Technical and Enforcement Limits
- Adolescents can bypass bans using VPNs or alternative platforms.
- Restrictions may push users toward unregulated digital spaces.
- Identity verification risks mass digital surveillance frameworks.
- Social and Developmental Concerns
- Social media also provides peer support ecosystems.
- Marginalised youth access identity, solidarity, and emotional support online.
- Democratic Deficit
- Policies often exclude young people’s voices.
- Youth perspectives rarely shape regulatory frameworks.
- Gendered Digital Divide
- Only 33.3% women report Internet usage versus 57.1% men.
- Bans may worsen patriarchal restrictions on girls’ digital access.
Structural Policy Alternatives
- Government must move beyond censorship-centric responses.
- Need robust digital competition law and “duty of care” obligations.
- Monetary penalties should enforce platform accountability.
- Regulation must be led by independent expert institutions.
Research and Evidence Gaps
- India lacks long-term, localised research on digital harms.
- Public funding needed for longitudinal mental health studies.
- Youth must participate in policy design processes.
Emerging Risk: AI and Child Safety
- Generative AI use linked to cognitive dependency concerns.
- Cases show unsafe AI interactions with minors.
- Child safety regulation must include AI ecosystems.
Normative Conclusion
- Bans create illusion of control without solving root problems.
- Focus should be building a healthy digital media environment.
- Balanced regulation must protect both safety and digital rights.
