THE Economic Survey’s push for age-based access to social media is a welcome intervention. For years, digital expansion has been celebrated as an unqualified good — democratising access, bridging gaps and modernising education. The Survey tempers the optimism with an uncomfortable truth: unchecked digital exposure is fast becoming a public health concern. Identifying digital addiction as a problem affecting mental health, academic performance and productivity, the Survey moves the debate towards evidence-based policy. Its recommendations — age-appropriate access limits, platform accountability for age verification, simpler devices for children and reduced dependence on online classes — reflect a growing global consensus that children need protection from predatory digital designs optimised for attention, not well-being.
Equally important is the emphasis on collective responsibility. By calling for platform-level safeguards and family data plans that distinguish educational from recreational use, the Survey acknowledges what many parents already know: individual control is no match for industrial-scale efforts.
International examples strengthen the case. From Australia’s under-16 ban to France’s move against under-15 access, governments are increasingly willing to draw hard boundaries. India, with its rapid smartphone penetration and a huge population of youngsters, cannot afford to lag behind. Yet the Survey wisely avoids a one-size-fits-all ban, instead advocating a layered approach involving governments, educational institutions, civil society and families. The real challenge, of course, will be implementation. Age verification, enforcement and equity concerns — especially for poor families — will test policymakers. Still, the Survey has done well to outline a comprehensive plan on digital restraint. In a hyper-connected age, protecting young minds is a very progressive policy.