The Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, identifies digital addiction as a rising concern that significantly impacts the mental health of both youth and adults. The survey highlights the strong association between social media addiction and various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and cyberbullying stress, with studies confirming a high prevalence among individuals aged 15-24.

The survey points out that compulsive scrolling and social comparison are particularly linked to anxiety and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, it connects gaming disorder to sleep disruption, aggression, social withdrawal, and depression, with adolescent populations being especially vulnerable. The survey also addresses the depression and financial costs associated with online gambling, as well as how streaming and binge-watching reels can lead to poor sleep hygiene, reduced concentration, and heightened stress, especially among younger individuals.

Acknowledging the rise in digital addiction, the survey calls for comprehensive interventions to tackle the problem, which adversely affects academic performance, workplace productivity, and mental health. It notes that research indicates distinct risks and mental health consequences among young people due to digital addiction.

The survey maps the effects of digital addiction as negatively impacting academic performance and workplace productivity due to distractions, sleep deprivation, and reduced focus. It emphasizes that while digital access fuels learning, jobs, and civic participation, excessive and compulsive use can lead to economic and social costs, ranging from lost study hours and reduced productivity to healthcare burdens and financial losses from risky online behaviors.

To address this issue, the survey suggests several interventions, drawing from measures implemented by countries like Australia, China, and South Korea. One recommendation is for online platforms to be responsible for enforcing age verification to prevent underage access to potentially harmful content. The survey also proposes promoting simpler devices for children to access educational content with safeguards. It suggests policies on age-based access limits, as younger users are more susceptible to compulsive use and harmful content. Australia, for example, has banned children below 16 years of age from holding accounts on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X.

The survey underscores the importance of developing a comprehensive set of indicators to assess the multi-dimensional effects of digital addiction interventions. Key metrics for data collection may include usage patterns (average recreational screen time), health outcomes (sleep quality, anxiety and stress levels), academic and workplace performance (attendance and task completion), and safety concerns like cyberbullying, online scams, and exposure to real-money gaming.

The Economic Survey highlights the urgent need to address digital addiction and mitigate its impact on mental health and overall well-being, especially among young people. It calls for a multi-faceted approach involving government, online platforms, and society to promote responsible digital usage and safeguard the mental health of citizens.