Nobody usually phrases it this way, but technology is almost a humanities discipline. We are creating systems that reflect, shape, and augment the human experience.
Growing addiction
In recent years, with the deep and pervasive penetration of digital technologies — from algorithm-driven platforms to generative AI — technology has moved centre stage in our lives. At the heart of this shift sits social media —widely used for networking, sharing and socialising — but beneath its benefits lies a troubling underside of addiction, manipulation and mental health risks. Its impact on children must be taken with urgency.
Platforms such as Instagram, Meta, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube, are not neutral tools. They are engineered for compulsion. Infinite scrolling, autoplay, algorithmic nudges is the way such tech is designed. For minors, the harm lies not just in what they see, but in how long they are made to stay. This is not entertainment; it is behavioural conditioning.
The consequences are visible. The US Surgeon General has called for cigarette-style warning labels on social media platforms, signalling a public health concern. Some years ago, the suicide of Canadian teenager Amanda Todd following sextortion and cyber bullying had sparked outrage. Many young social media users fall easy prey to predators on the prowl. Apart from such crimes, unhinged social media use gets addictive.
NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, draws a direct link between the rise in youth anxiety and depression and the advent of phone-based social media apps. Average daily screen time for teenagers now ranges between 8-10 hours, excluding schoolwork.
This is not merely a social issue. To be future-ready is to be adaptive, thoughtful, and capable of deep work. Children conditioned to constant digital stimulation may lose the power for creative thinking. At the same time, a child cannot meaningfully consent to a system designed to override self-control.
Globally, governments are beginning to respond. Australia implemented a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16 in late 2025. Indonesia followed in March 2026, restricting minors under 16 from accessing major platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. Across Europe, countries like Denmark and France are debating or moving towards similar age-based restrictions. Even in the US, there is growing momentum for tighter controls.
Indian imperatives
In India, the conversation has begun but remains fragmented. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have proposed restrictions for minors, sparking debate on implementation and parental responsibility. But piecemeal responses are not enough.
India, with over 54 per cent of its population below the age of 25, cannot afford to treat this lightly. The country’s future — its workforce and its innovation capacity — depends on how this generation develops. We have demonstrated global leadership in building digital public infrastructure, from UPI to DigiYatra and DigiLocker, creating systems that combine scale with trust. That same leadership must now extend to digital well-being.
The argument against regulation often frames such bans as excessive or impractical. But every major industry —from telecom to banking — operates within guardrails. Why should Big Tech be the exception? The government must step in to working with Big Tech to put guardrails as they need to take the responsibility.
If minors are to be protected, platforms must be made accountable. Anyone joining social media must show proof of age. This is not about stifling innovation but about aligning it with societal interest. Also, the responsibility must be shared. Parents, schools, and policymakers need to take action at the right time. Digital literacy must include not just how to use technology, but how to resist its excesses.
We owe our children a childhood lived in the moment — curious, open, and unhurried — not one surrendered to the algorithmic appetites of Big Tech.
The writer is Chairman, EPIC Foundation and MGB (Mission Governing Board), National Quantum Mission. Views expressed are personal
Published on April 25, 2026