Amitabh Kant Endorses Economic Survey's Push for Social Media Age Restrictions in India
India's former G20 Sherpa and ex-NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant, has publicly voiced his strong agreement with the Economic Survey 2025-26's suggestion to implement age-based limits on social media usage. On Saturday, Kant took to social media to express his alignment with the survey's findings, drawing parallels with policies already in place in countries like Australia.
"Frying Kids' Brains": Kant's Stark Warning on Social Media Impact
In his post, Kant stated emphatically, "100% agree with India's Economic Survey that we need age limits on social media now." He elaborated on the detrimental effects, claiming that excessive social media use is "frying kids' brains" and leading to decreased productivity and focus. Kant warned that this trend could result in "a generation of children that are chronically online and incapable of real-world hard work."
He further advocated for stricter measures, suggesting, "This is not how we build Viksit Bharat. In fact, we should ban it outright in schools and colleges." This statement underscores his concern about the pervasive influence of digital platforms in educational environments.
Economic Survey 2026 Highlights Digital Addiction as a National Concern
The Economic Survey 2025-26 has identified digital addiction as a significant and rising problem, impacting both the mental health and economic prospects of India's youth and adults. The report flags major concerns over social media usage, noting that compulsive and high-intensity engagement poses real economic and social costs.
According to the survey, "India’s youth are living in an intensely digital environment. While access fuels learning, jobs, and civic participation, compulsive and high-intensity use can impose real economic and social costs, ranging from lost study hours and reduced productivity to healthcare burdens and financial losses resulting from risky online behaviours."
Mental Health Crisis Linked to Digital Overuse
The survey draws a direct connection between digital addiction and a growing mental health crisis among India's younger population. It cites multiple studies from India and globally, indicating a high prevalence of social media addiction among those aged 15-24. The report states, "Mental Health crisis is closely linked with digital addiction, which is the degrading mental health of the youth."
With near-universal mobile and internet access among 15-29-year-olds, the survey emphasizes that access is no longer the primary constraint; instead, the focus must shift to managing usage and mitigating harmful effects.
Policy Recommendations and Global Comparisons
During a media interaction on January 29, Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran highlighted the need for age-based policy limits. He stated, "Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content." Nageswaran also called for making platforms responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising.
The Economic Survey has examined measures adopted by various countries, including Australia, China, and South Korea, and recommends several interventions. These include:
- Educating families about the risks of digital addiction.
- Encouraging families to promote screen-time limits and device-free hours.
- Fostering shared offline activities to counterbalance online engagement.
The survey calls for coordinated efforts beyond the ongoing initiatives of various government departments to address this multifaceted issue effectively.
