SRINAGAR: The Union Government on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that digital addiction among children and young people has emerged as a serious public health challenge and highlighted a series of legal, regulatory and awareness measures aimed at ensuring a safe online environment for children.
Replying to a starred question by BJP MP Sambit Patra, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Government’s policies are focused on creating an “open, safe, trusted and accountable” internet for all users, including children.
The Minister said the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, provide the legal framework for digital safety, requiring intermediaries to exercise due diligence and prevent the hosting or sharing of content harmful to children or in violation of the law.
He informed the House that recent amendments to the IT Rules mandate social media platforms and other intermediaries to remove unlawful content within three hours of receiving an order from a competent court or a reasoned direction from the appropriate government or its authorised agency.
Vaishnaw said the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, strengthens children’s online privacy by requiring parental consent for processing children’s personal data and prohibiting tracking, behavioural monitoring and targeted advertising directed at children.
The Minister also highlighted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, describing it as a significant step towards addressing digital addiction and financial harm among young users.
Citing the Economic Survey 2025–26, he said digital addiction is a major public health concern, particularly among people aged 15 to 29, with adverse effects on cognitive development, academic performance, workplace productivity, social interaction and mental health. The survey also noted links to anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, cyberbullying and financial losses arising from compulsive gaming, excessive social media use and online gambling.
The Government informed the House that 50 OTT platforms had been disabled for public access in India over the past two years for allegedly displaying obscene content and violating provisions of the Information Technology Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
On awareness initiatives, Vaishnaw said the Government’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project has conducted 6,650 awareness workshops across the country, reaching more than 11.37 lakh participants, including students, teachers, law enforcement personnel, government officials and members of the public.
He added that the Ministry of Education’s PRAGYATA Guidelines, CBSE’s cyber safety initiatives and NCERT’s curriculum on cyber safety are intended to promote responsible digital behaviour, while CERT-In continues to issue online safety advisories and awareness material for internet users, including children.
