Compulsive scrolling and social comparison are linked to anxiety and depressive symptoms | Photo Credit: Dusan Stankovic

The Economic Survey underlined a troubling downside of India’s digital transformation -- distinct mental health consequences including higher incidence of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and cyberbullying stress due to digital media addiction.

The Survey examined global responses to this burgeoning mental health issue, including the recent Australian ban on social media accounts for children under 16, and recommended that social media platforms should be made responsible for age verification. “Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content. Platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising,” the Survey suggested.

Besides, it underlined the importance of social connections for higher mental well-being and the need to promote face-to-face socialising.

The Survey highlighted that India’s digital economy accounted for 11.74 per cent of national income in FY23, with projections of 13.42 per cent by FY25 and internet connections nearly quadrupling over a decade to 96.96 crore by 2024. Smartphone ownership surged to 85.5 per cent of households, with roughly 35 crore users engaging with social media, a massive footprint that increasingly includes young people.

But the flip side is stark. The Survey focused on how high levels of internet penetration are leading to digital addiction, which is adversely impacting mental health, especially among teenagers and young adults.

“Compulsive scrolling and social comparison are particularly linked to anxiety and depressive symptoms. Gaming disorder shows evidence of causing sleep disruption, aggression, social withdrawal, and depression, with adolescent populations especially vulnerable. Online gambling and real money gaming present evidence of harm, including financial stress, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Finally, streaming and short video compulsion carry evidence linking binge-watching and endless video loops to poor sleep hygiene, reduced concentration, and heightened stress,” the Survey noted.

Digital engagement for young users is compounded by platform design. Independent research shows that social media platforms deploy sophisticated recommender algorithms and engagement-prolonging features engineered to maximise “time spent” and repeat interactions, often exploiting behavioural psychology. These designs pressure, entice, trap and lull users, especially teenagers, into longer sessions, creating patterns consistent with addictive use.

Published on January 29, 2026