The mobile menace: Is social media reshaping the development of young teenagers?
The doctrine of parent patriae is a fundamental principle of common-law legal systems. It empowers the State to act as the ultimate guardian of vulnerable individuals
Social media is no longer merely a tool for communication; its algorithms are increasingly shaping how children think, behave and see themselves. From addictive feeds and cyberbullying to shrinking attention spans and exposure to harmful content, the risks are mounting. India must urgently rethink how technology protects, rather than exploits, its youngest users.
I speak to you today first as a mother and a citizen concerned for our society's fabric, and only then as a lawyer and lawmaker.
Before we discuss economic metrics, GDP growth, or digital expansion, we must face an uncomfortable truth: algorithms engineered by tech giants are quietly deciding the character, identity, and moral boundaries of our children. When an algorithm incentivises vulgarity, hyper-sexualized content, and outrage over decency, it directly erodes the foundational character of a healthy childhood. As parents, we instill ethics and cultural values at home, but the same are challenged by only for profit-driven algorithms to rewrite those values the moment a child picks up a screen.
We have seen the clear warning signs flare up in real life from cyberbullying to severe mental health crises and yet we hesitate to act. Speedy adoption of technology cannot come at the cost of our children's safety, cognitive development, and character. In India, our legal framework explicitly prioritizes the protection of minors through statutes like the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. Unfettered, unverified access to addictive social media directly contradicts the protective intent of POCSO by exposing impressionable minds to predatory behaviors and psychological harm without adequate safeguards.
To protect our youth, we must move toward concrete measures: enforcing strict age limits (such as a minimum age of 16) with robust verification, imposing non-negotiable bans or penalties on non-compliant platforms, actively prohibiting vulgar language and addictive feeds, implementing graded digital exposure, and holding tech corporations legally accountable under child protection laws when their code pushes harmful content to minors.
In today's digital age, social media has become an addiction and my oft repeated statement is if data is the new oil, then social media is the new opium. Platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and WhatsApp have transformed the way young people communicate, learn, and entertain themselves. Experts are increasingly questioning whether their use is hindering the healthy character and cognitive development of adolescents.
Teenage years are among the most formative stages of human development. It is during this period that young people build their identity, develop emotional maturity, strengthen social relationships, and prepare for adulthood. However, the rapid growth of social media has introduced new challenges that previous generations never encountered.
One of the most visible concerns is the growing impact on mental health, cognition, character, and reading abilities. Psychologists have observed rising levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress among teenagers who spend prolonged hours on social media. Constant exposure to carefully edited images and seemingly perfect lifestyles often encourages unhealthy comparisons. Many teenagers begin measuring their self-worth through likes, comments, and followers rather than real-life achievements or meaningful relationships. The issue extends beyond self-esteem. Adolescence is the stage when individuals develop their personal identity and moral character. Social media is exposing teenagers and young children to vulgar language, hyper-sexualized material, and information which is far beyond their years, creating pressure to fit into popular trends rather than embracing their authentic personalities. The pursuit of online approval can overshadow genuine self-discovery and character building.
Education is another area feeling the severe effects of excessive digital engagement on social media. Short-form videos and endless scrolling have contributed to shrinking attention spans and weakened cognition, making sustained concentration on books and classroom learning far more difficult.
Cyberbullying has emerged as one of the darker consequences of digital communication. Unlike traditional bullying, online harassment follows teenagers beyond school hours, often reaching them at any time of the day. Victims frequently experience emotional distress, social withdrawal, reduced academic performance, and, in severe cases, mental health crises.
Health experts are equally concerned about sleep deprivation. Many teenagers spend late-night hours browsing social media, exposing themselves to blue light that interferes with the body's natural sleep and growth cycle. Poor sleep not only affects mood but also impairs memory, concentration, and overall cognitive development. Another growing concern is body image. The widespread use of beauty filters and edited photographs promotes unrealistic standards of appearance. As a result, many adolescents struggle with body dissatisfaction, reduced confidence, and unhealthy dieting habits in an attempt to imitate online influencers. Despite these concerns, social media cannot be viewed solely as a harmful force. Let me clarify here there's a legally defined age which defines a juvenile in every country; in India, it is 18 years. Upto the age of 18 years, individuals are considered minors and have the protection under child rights i.e., POCSO, etc. There is a clear legal distinction between minor children and young adults.
Parents, educators, governments, and technology companies all share responsibility for creating a healthier digital environment. Parents themselves need to be sensitised about the dangers lurking on social media, which in turn can encourage balanced screen habits, and technology companies can improve safeguards for younger users through stronger privacy protections and better content moderation on the internet. I am an advocate for a childhood which is genuine, affectionate, and produces responsible citizenship, encouraging teenagers to balance online engagement for educational purposes and not necessarily social media, with physical activity, face-to-face friendships, family interaction, reading, and outdoor experiences.
Social media and information technology has undoubtedly transformed modern adolescence. Information technology has offered extraordinary opportunities for learning but use of social media also presents significant risks if left unchecked. The future well-being of our society and country will depend on creating responsible citizens with strong character and sharp cognitive capabilities. As society continues to embrace an increasingly connected world, one question remains: Is social media becoming a tool that disempowers the next generation and will it quietly erode the very foundations of healthy childhood and adolescence? The answer will depend on the choices made today by families, schools, policymakers and technology companies.
Under the doctrine of parens patriae, a court may intervene to safeguard the welfare of a child. The child's best interests are the court's primary concern. Indian courts have repeatedly recognized the doctrine of parent patriae. The Supreme Court has held that in matters concerning children, the court acts as parent patriae, and the child's welfare is the paramount consideration. The doctrine has been applied in cases involving protection of children from abuse. The Doctrine protects children and vulnerable individuals and ensures decisions are guided by welfare and legal rights. The doctrine of parent patriae is a fundamental principle of common-law legal systems. It empowers the State and the courts to act as the ultimate guardian of vulnerable individuals when necessary. In India, it is firmly established in constitutional and family law, with the welfare of the child serving as the overriding consideration in all custody, guardianship, and child-protection matters. Thus, courts can also take a call on this subject.
Several countries have adopted or are introducing strict social media laws for children, although the nature of these laws varies. Some impose minimum age requirements, others require parental consent, while some focus on age verification, privacy protections, or limits on addictive platform features. Australia, which currently has the world's most comprehensive national restrictions, has a minimum age of 16 years for accounts on designated social media platforms and says that companies can face substantial penalties for non-compliance. France has moved toward stricter controls for minors, which includes a minimum age of 15 years for opening social media accounts and legislation strengthens age-verification and child-protection requirements. The EU regulates child online safety primarily through the Digital Services Act, which makes large online platforms protect minors from harmful content. In recent times, Norway, Spain, Greece and Denmark have announced plans to strengthen age restrictions and stronger digital protections. I headed a Joint Parliamentary Committee in which this aspect was specifically dealt with and social media regulation was proposed much before the EU and Australia took a call on this subject. This report was subsequently presented to the parliament by Shri PP Chaudhary Ji, as I had been appointed as a minister and he was appointed as the chairman of JPC. The world is learning from its past mistakes and making amends, should we not learn from them rather than go through the painful lessons.
Social media has transformed the way teenagers communicate, learn, and interact. Teenagers often feel pressure to remain constantly connected and responsive due to the fear of missing out (FOMO), constant comparison with peers, and concern about likes, comments, and followers. Studies have found associations between heavy social media use and increased symptoms of depression in some adolescents. Body shaming is the newer entrant to these stresses.
Social isolation and its impact on mental health and cognitive development must be taken into account. It's known that teenagers are spending less time with family and friends and prefer loneliness despite being constantly connected. I was recently shocked to know that in an international school in Delhi NCR, students in higher classes struggle in cursive writing and even holding pencils properly as their curriculum is delivered through computer tabs. They struggle in basic sentence formation when a pencil and book is given to them. For sure this reliance on digital tools at the expense of basic cognitive motor skills has resulted in weaker communication, reading, and comprehension skills in addition to emotional stress and compromised cognitive growth.
Social media platforms are often perceived as free services that enable people to connect and share information. However, behind these platforms are some of the world's largest and most profitable businesses. Companies such as Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads), TikTok, Snap Inc., X Corp., and YouTube generate billions of dollars annually through advertising, subscriptions, data-driven marketing, and digital commerce. Social media is therefore considered a business because its primary objective is to generate revenue and create value for shareholders while providing digital services to users; so for most companies in this business user data becomes an economic asset through which they can collect information such as pages followed, videos watched, search history and engagement with different types of content. These jargonised Attention Economies are deployed through Artificial Intelligence to attract and push personalized recommendations, notifications, and continuous content feeds designed to encourage addictive engagement. Most large social media companies are commercial enterprises with investors looking only to increase profits, market share and improve their financial performance often at the expense of our youth's character and cognitive health.
There is growing evidence that social media can influence vulnerable individuals' attitudes toward suicide and self-harm, potentially contributing to suicidal behavior in some cases. Cyberbullying, Suicide Contagion and Algorithmic Amplification are a few new terminologies linked to this dangerous phenomenon. One of the most widely discussed cases in recent times is of a 14-year-old Molly Russell, of the UK, who viewed large amounts of self-harm and suicide-related content online before her death. In 2022, the coroner concluded that exposure to online content relating to suicide and self-harm contributed to her death, while noting other factors were also relevant. The case prompted significant debate about platform responsibility and influenced child online safety discussions in the UK. The Blue Whale Challenge was yet another alleged online "challenge" encouraging participants to complete increasingly harmful tasks. Closer home, we witnessed the tragic deaths of teenage sisters from Noida.
It is time that India, through its government amends the laws and applies the regulations firmly and looks at creating indigenous social media platforms with graded exposure to young people. An Indian platform could store and process user data in India, making it easier to comply with Indian laws and data protection requirements. This will result in better control over citizens' data, greater transparency, self-reliance, and easier regulatory oversight. A successful Indian platform could create thousands of jobs, generate tax revenue, support Indian startups, and build domestic AI and cloud capabilities. UPI and other Indian payment gateways can be incorporated seamlessly, saving us precious foreign exchange. While I do understand that building media platforms requires logistics of massive investments, engineers, Artificial Intelligence, Data centres, Cybersecurity, and Content moderation running into billions of dollars, the long-term cascading positive impact of domestically designed social media will benefit the country in every possible way. Monitoring will also become easier as Indian agencies may be able to respond more quickly to lawful requests, investigate cybercrime efficiently, and protect our national interests while upholding our cultural standards. China has developed platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin, alongside strict regulation of foreign services. South Korea has strong domestic internet services such as Kakao and Naver, and Russia has domestic platforms including VK. These countries have taken different approaches, reflecting their own legal systems and policy priorities.
Bharat has the technical talent, digital infrastructure, and market size to build globally competitive social media platforms. However, success depends not only on technology but also on attracting users, fostering innovation, and building trust. An Indian social media ecosystem could strengthen data sovereignty, economic growth, and digital innovation while safeguarding the character, cognitive development, and future of our young citizens.
In today's digital age, social media has become an addiction and if data is the new oil then social media is the new opium
It's known that teenagers are spending less time with family and friends and prefer loneliness despite being constantly connected
Former Minister of State for External Affairs; Views presented are personal.
