The Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled in Parliament, has flagged smartphone addiction and excessive digital consumption as a “serious and rapidly escalating social challenge”, warning that its impact now extends far beyond children and adolescents to affect adults’ mental health, workplace efficiency and social behaviour.
The survey notes that unchecked screen use, persistent social media engagement and auto-play driven content ecosystems have accelerated digital addiction across age groups. The consequences are increasingly visible in declining academic performance, reduced productivity at work, sleep disorders and mounting psychological stress. If left unaddressed, the survey cautions, the trend could result in long-term social and economic costs.
Children and young adults have been identified as the most vulnerable group. According to the report, unrestricted and unsupervised access to digital platforms at a young age is exposing users to inappropriate content, online harassment, gambling and comparison-driven social media behaviour. This, it says, is contributing to rising anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and social withdrawal among adolescents and young adults.
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The survey underlines the need for a multi-layered national response to the growing problem. A central pillar of this strategy, it argues, must be greater accountability for online platforms. Social media networks, gaming services and digital content providers should be required to implement robust age-verification mechanisms, default child-safety settings, effective content filters and enforceable screen-time limits.
Highlighting international practices, the survey cites examples from countries such as Australia, China and South Korea, where governments have begun treating digital addiction as a public health issue. These jurisdictions have introduced restrictions on children’s social media usage, imposed limits on online gaming hours and strengthened parental control mechanisms. The survey suggests that India should consider similar interventions, adapted to local conditions.
Beyond regulation, the report stresses the importance of families and schools in shaping healthier digital habits. Parents are advised to actively monitor children’s screen time, designate phone-free hours at home and encourage outdoor and group activities. Schools, the survey recommends, should organise awareness programmes and workshops for parents, focusing on early signs of digital addiction, setting boundaries and using parental control tools effectively.
The survey also questions the growing trend of providing children with high-end smartphones at an early age. Instead, it advocates the use of limited-function devices or education-focused tablets equipped with built-in time restrictions, content filters and app controls. Such measures, it says, can significantly reduce exposure to harmful content related to violence, explicit material and gambling.
Online gambling and real-money gaming platforms have been flagged as a particularly serious concern. The survey points to mounting evidence that such platforms are linked to financial losses, heightened stress and, in extreme cases, suicidal ideation. Similarly, addiction to short-video platforms and streaming services is associated with sleep deprivation, reduced attention span and elevated stress levels.
Referring to the World Health Organization’s recognition of gaming disorder as a diagnosable condition, the survey observes that digital addiction can no longer be viewed merely as a behavioural issue. It has emerged as a mental health challenge with public health implications, especially among teenagers and young adults. Symptoms such as irritability, isolation, disrupted sleep patterns and emotional instability are increasingly being reported.
In this context, the survey calls for coordinated action between the Centre and states, along with collaboration among schools, families and technology platforms. It emphasises the need for long-term policy interventions, consistent public awareness campaigns and evidence-based regulation rather than fragmented or reactive measures.
The report concludes that while digital technology remains a powerful driver of growth, convenience and connectivity, its uncontrolled use is creating mental and social stresses that can no longer be ignored. Protecting the psychological well-being of children and young people, it asserts, will require timely, decisive and sustained action across sectors.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
