Social Media Addiction in Children: Reasons and Govt Initiatives

Social Media

Social media refers to the means of interactions (collection of websites and apps) among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. Examples: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Here, we have discussed about reasons and govt initiatives to prevent Social Media Addiction in Children.

Reports show over 43% of Indian children aged 8-18 have active social media accounts, with many accessing it via parental smartphones.

Australia has become the first country to pass a law banning social media use for children under the age of 16.

Reasons for Children’s Addiction to Social Media

• Peer Influence: Children are influenced by peers and social media’s validation system (likes, comments, shares).
• Instant Gratification: It offers immediate rewards, releasing dopamine, as a result, leads to addictive behaviour.
• Parents: In modern society, where both parents are working, parents are unable to provide adequate attention to a child, therefore leading to the modern phenomenon of the “iPad kid”.
• Escapism: Children turn to social media to escape real-world issues like loneliness and stress, consequently, developing emotional dependency on the platforms.
• Algorithm-Driven Engagement: Algorithms tailor content to keep children engaged longer, making it harder to stop using social media.

Supporting the Ban

• Cyberbullying: Social media can spread harmful content, causing depression, anxiety, and eventually suicide. 
• Excessive Screen Time: it can lead to reduced physical activity, poor sleep patterns, and other health-related issues.
• Attention Problems & Academic Impact: Constantly switching between digital content reduces focus, affecting school performance.
• Impaired Social Skills: Excessive social media use limits face-to-face interactions, impairing relationship-building and emotional understanding. E.g., the use of filters and Photoshop creates a distorted sense of reality.
• Dangerous Viral Trends: Viral challenges like the “Blackout Challenge” (breath-holding) and “Devious Lick” (stealing) can result in injuries, trouble, etc.

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Opposing the Ban

• Socialization and Learning: Social media helps teens stay connected, collaborate on homework, and develop skills like creativity and problem-solving. 
• Ineffectiveness of Banning: Banning is hard to enforce and may push teens to unsafe spaces, like the Dark Web.
• Impractical Age Limits: Setting age limits (like 13 or 16) for social media doesn’t guarantee readiness, as maturity levels vary.
• Focus on Improving Platforms: Instead of banning, the focus should be on making social media platforms safer and more child-friendly.
• Learning from Mistakes: The ban prevents teens from learning how to navigate online risks, hindering their ability to build confidence and resilience in the digital world.

Government initiative to protect children online

• Section 67B of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000: Provides stringent punishment for publishing, transmitting, or viewing Child sexual abuse material online.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: Requires data fiduciaries to collect “verifiable parental consent” for processing personal data of children under 18.
• The National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR): It has established an online complaint management system.

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Way ahead

Safety-by-Design

1. Privacy by Default: Tech companies must provide default privacy settings for minors, especially regarding data collection. For example, the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code.
2. AI Detection of Harmful Content: Use AI tools to identify and remove harmful interactions or content in children’s feeds.

Regulations:

1. Accountability for Tech Companies: Instead of banning, tech companies can be held accountable for creating safer, child-friendly spaces.
2. Improving Digital Skills and Education: Educate children and parents about responsible online behaviour, digital literacy, and self-regulation.

Parental Involvement and Control:

1. Create Accounts Together: Set up social media accounts with your child to ensure proper privacy settings, strong passwords, as well as content limitations.
2. Establish Screen Time Limits: Implement tools to manage screen time, therefore promoting healthier digital habits.
3. Improving Digital Skills and Education: Educate children and parents too about responsible online behaviour, digital literacy, and self-regulation. 
4. Protect Personal Information: Teach your child to keep personal details (address, phone number) private to avoid online dangers.
5. Report and Block Unwanted Interactions: Teach your child how to report or block harmful accounts to protect against cyberbullying and harassment.

Conclusion

Empowering children with the tools to navigate online spaces responsibly-through education, parental guidance, as well as child-centric digital policies-represents a more sustainable solution. This approach not only safeguards mental health but also develops the skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

FAQs about Social Media Addiction