Ban or balance?

Social media giants Meta, TikTok and YouTube are facing trial in the Superior Court of Los Angeles over allegations that they deliberately deploy addictive design features, leaving scores of teenagers addicted to their platforms and suffering from mental and physical health concerns. Meanwhile, several countries, including the United Kingdom and Greece, are considering a ban on social media use for children under 15. Australia and France have already moved in that direction.

In India, concerns about social media addiction have also been raised, most recently in the Economic Survey, which discussed measures adopted by Australia and suggested that similar steps could be considered by Indian authorities.

Recently, the European Commission, in a preliminary enquiry against TikTok, found that the platform had failed to comply with the Digital Services Act regarding addictive design. The problem, however, is not confined to a single platform. Academicians argue that many platforms are intentionally designed to encourage compulsive use. Features such as indefinite scroll, constant notifications, algorithm-driven feeds and the dopamine rush associated with content consumption can foster dependency. 

However, a blanket ban, premised on the assumption that social media is inherently harmful, is misguided. Research indicates that social media has opened new avenues for academic engagement. Studies consistently show that when used appropriately, it can enhance digital literacy and self-confidence among children. A blanket prohibition could undermine children’s welfare and isolate vulnerable young people from peer support networks and crisis resources. 

Notably, all social media platforms are not alike, nor do they serve a homogeneous group. Their impact varies across age groups, gender, and socio-economic contexts. Any holistic policy must take these differences into account. The European Commission also undertook a longitudinal study for the same purpose. Furthermore, exclusive reliance on digital face recognition technology or age verification models, as seen in the case of the Australian government, does not ensure complete accuracy. Stemming from this are privacy-related concerns, which also need to be addressed before implementing age verification methodologies to bar children from social media.

The problem posed by social media addiction demands a more nuanced approach rather than a blanket ban from the Indian perspective. While the use of smartphones and electronic devices has increased among children, the ownership of such devices is limited. Consequently, the usage of social media is often on parents’ or family members’ devices and through their registered accounts or email IDs. In such scenarios, there are practical hurdles in implementing the ban. Additionally, the success of the implementation of such a ban invariably depends on the cooperation of social media giants and the verification framework adopted by them. 

Another pertinent issue is how to balance the harmful effects with the benefits of social media. The Australian government has not banned social media in toto. It has excluded messaging platforms, health, education, business, and professional networking platforms from the purview of the ban. However, the question arises that even the conventional platforms, such as YouTube, host educational, health-related content, and mandating a blanket ban would deprive children of useful content.

Beyond this, social media addiction is also a mental health concern. A knee-jerk ban on social media would not alleviate the condition of such children; rather, it would make them more anxious without addressing the issue of mental health. In 2025, AIIMS Delhi launched India’s first digital addiction centre for research on digital addiction. Similarly, in 2021, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments also launched digital addiction rehabilitation centres. However, there is no report available on the outcomes achieved by these institutions. It is necessary that the working of these institutions be assessed and a nationwide digital addiction rehabilitation policy be brought about with wide consultation and expert inputs. Furthermore, digital hygiene and safety must be a part of the school curriculum.

An empathic mental health policy, digital literacy, and hygiene are the keys to resolving the problems posed by social media. India needs to take a more calibrated approach rather than adopting a knee-jerk reaction.

(The writers are students at the National Law University, Jodhpur)