Digital Overload: The Growing Concern of Child Addiction to Online Platforms

A recent survey by LocalCircles reveals that children in urban India are increasingly becoming addicted to online platforms like social media and gaming. Many parents support mandatory Aadhaar authentication for age verification. Emotional impacts include impatience and aggression. Parents and children feel better connections when devices are put aside.

A survey conducted by LocalCircles has highlighted a growing concern among urban Indian parents about their children's addiction to online platforms such as social media and gaming. The survey, which gathered responses from over 57,000 parents across 302 districts, found that many children spend more than six hours on their mobile phones daily.

The survey results indicate that 25% of parents advocate for mandatory Aadhaar authentication for age verification on online platforms as part of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. In terms of emotional effects, 61% of parents observed increased impatience in their children, while 58% noticed aggression.

Furthermore, a study by Vivo suggests that spending time without phones enhances parent-child relationships. Children feel admired when their phones are set aside, though many parents struggle with habitual phone checking due to work demands.

(With inputs from agencies.)