With nearly 970 million internet connections and a digital economy projected to contribute over 13 per cent of national income, the India story is, to a great extent, one of triumphant connectivity. Yet, a dark, unhealthy trend emerges from behind the glowing screens of the country’s youth, prompting the government to flag a new behavioural crisis.

The Economic Survey 2026 had said in no uncertain terms that while internet access is no longer a constraint, the “intensely digital environment” was beginning to erode human capital through sleep debt, reduced productivity and mental health struggles.

By flagging ‘digital addiction’ as a threat to human capital, the survey, in fact, validated the fears of doctors and teachers who have watched with concern the smartphone morphing from a classroom nuisance to an existential crisis affecting health, learning and development.

Countries like Australia, France, Spain and China are taking affirmative actions to protect children from social media or gaming addictions. And the World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled online gaming addiction as a mental health condition.

At the recently concluded AI Impact Summit 2026, too, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Centre was talking to social media platforms on restricting access based on age.

This, he said, was important to protect children online, and address deepfakes.

“While obesity and inadequate nutrition threaten the physical health of youth, digital addiction undermines their cognitive and social development. Together, these interconnected challenges necessitate policies to safeguard the health and human capital of the next generation,” the Economic Survey noted.

Compulsive digital use is linked to anxiety, stress, depression and sleep disturbances, especially among students facing academic pressure and exposure to cyberbullying and high-stimulus platforms, it added.

Helping to disconnect

The challenge is no longer about getting people online, but helping them disconnect.

As the government rolls out initiatives like the ‘Tele-MANAS’ helpline and ‘Digital Detox’ centres to combat this modern impulse control disorder, experts warn that the root cause runs deeper than just technology.

U Vindhya, former Professor of psychology at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, points out that the surge in digital addiction, with India already outpacing some Western nations, is causing a shift from a socially connected culture to one of isolation and loneliness.

“Excessive use resulting in addiction is an impulse control disorder, characterised by preoccupations, poorly controlled urges or behaviours, which lead to distress or impairment of functioning,” she points out.

Mapping the challenges stemming from digital addiction, the Economic Survey pointed out that the bulk of the victims were found to be in the 15-24 age group.

Jonathan N Bertrand, Founder and CEO of the US-based Social Media Research Institute, argues that while regulation provides necessary boundaries, it fails to address the immediate reality of user experience.

He called for ‘social media first aid’ (SMFA) — a framework that treats digital exposure as a public health priority by building user resilience rather than relying solely on bans.

“While lawsuits generally focus on accountability after the harm occurs, SMHR (social media harm reduction) focuses on prevention by equipping users, educators and institutions with SMFA. This addresses social media harm by providing individuals with the skills to understand platform architecture, behavioural triggers and online risks,” he says.

Social interactions

Shashidhar Nanjundaiah, a veteran media educator, feels there’s too much excitement in India over technology and not enough guardrails.

He says education is one of the most affected areas because digital and AI technologies essentially compel us to outsource the learning process.

As education is precisely positioned to enable learning, it faces an existential crisis, albeit temporarily.

“In my experience, many students carry only their mobile phones to the classroom, and we end up insisting on note-taking. Small experiments to ban phones in classrooms are underway, and students seem to like the idea. The ability to listen and respond improved when the ban was applied,” he says.

Parental regulation

Vindhya says there is no easy fix for this complex problem; there is a need for responsible parental regulation, rather than coercive measures.

Community groups and neighbourhood associations, too, should promote offline social interactions to foster social cohesion, belonging and social and communication skills. These will help prevent people from turning to the internet as a remedy for their feelings of isolation and loneliness.

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Published on February 23, 2026