Online addiction

EDITORIAL

The net if not handled cautiously, could be as dangerous as the spider’s web is for insects

“Technology is anything that wasn’t around when you were born.” So had observed the American computer scientist, Alan Kay. This observation may have come in a lighter vein; however, jokes aside, the technologies developed over time have been as advantageous to mankind as they were deleterious. Right from medicine to engineering and education to agriculture, all advanced knowledge has acted like a double-edged sword. More so if these innovations have been used to the extreme level.

The online addiction linked to computer games, information overload, net compulsions, cybersexual addiction, and cyber-relationship addiction has already shown its ugly side, with both children and adults falling prey to this internet menace. In fact, the net, if not handled cautiously, could be as dangerous as the spider’s net is for the insects and the fisherman’s net is for the fish. The unlimited and unrestricted access to a vast, global repository of information, education, entertainment, and communication tools definitely needs a review, especially as far as kids are concerned.

The digital addiction in India is a rapidly growing public health concern, with 60 percent of children, who are aged from 5 years to 16 years, showing potential signs and nearly 11 percent of adolescents suffering from technology addiction. With over 800 million internet users, Indians spend an average of 7.3 hours daily on screens. The Economic Survey 2026 highlights high addiction rates among the 15-year to 24-year-old population.

The contemplation of the government as regards introducing legislation to curb social media use by children below the age of 16 by taking Australia’s recent law as a guiding example is a clear indication that these social networking services are creating more harm than passing benefits to the young minds. The Information Technology Minister, Rohan Khaunte, had recently said that rising complaints from parents and growing concerns about children’s well-being have pushed the state to examine such a regulatory framework closely. Khaunte highlighted that social media platforms have substantially encroached into children’s daily routines, leaving youngsters “stuck to mobiles” even during meals, study time, and family interactions, further adding, “This continuous online engagement often disrupts attention, hampers educational focus, and diminishes real-world social interaction.”

The Information Technology Minister has also penned down an article on this issue on the occasion of Safer Internet Day 2026, observed on February 10, wherein he has shared his concerns about digital addiction and its perils. “The treacherous web is preying upon our children and youth, and the consequences are terrifying for parents who mostly have no idea about what their children are up to on the internet,” the article states, pointing out, “With schools, colleges, and even some kindergartens going fully or partially digital, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between being necessarily online and going deliberately offline because almost everything in our lives is now happening online.” The article also stresses the importance of making children aware from an early age about the advantages of technology as well as the disadvantages of being overly dependent on technology.

Today mobile phones have become as important as oxygen in our lives, right from communication and collaboration to education and essential services. This year, ‘AI Aware: Safe, Smart, and in Control’ was the theme of Safer Internet Day, in order to promote responsible AI use and digital safety. The theme aims at empowering users, particularly children, to navigate digital risks, avoid phishing, and protect data. The proverb ‘Too much is too bad’ fits like a glove in this scenario, negating excessive digital dependency.