The Economic Survey released on Thursday, 29 January, has urged the government to set age-based limits on access to social media apps to counter “digital addiction,” warning about children’s use of platforms in the largest user market for Meta and YouTube.
“Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content,” the survey said.
“Platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising,” it added.
Notably, the recommendations in the Economic Survey are not binding on the government; however, they can be a part of policy discussions in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government.
