India to Draft Screen Time Guidelines for Children Amid Mental Health Concerns

• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting plans guidelines to regulate children's screen time due to rising mental health risks from social media.
• Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules 2025 mandate parental consent for under-18s on social media, OTT, and gaming apps, prioritizing cybersecurity.
• Madras High Court suggests adopting Australia's model, banning social media accounts for under-16s, citing concerns over bullying, sleep deprivation, and cybercrime.
• A survey reveals most urban children aged 9-13 spend over 2 hours daily on social media, leading to addictive behavior and lack of focus in 11-37% of teenagers.
• Experts recommend strict parental monitoring and limited screen time; France is also considering a ban for under-15s by 2026.

Why It Matters: India is urgently addressing rising screen time in children with new guidelines and parental consent rules.