Delhi High Court Seeks India's Social Media Addiction Policy

The Delhi High Court has formally requested the Centre's position on whether it is developing a policy to address 'addiction-causing' features on social media platforms. The court asked the government on September 16, 2026. India's existing Digital Personal Data Protection Act, which came into effect in May 2027, focuses on data compliance rather than these systemic harms.

Policy recommendations emerge from Economic Survey

India's Economic Survey for 2025-26 explicitly recognised digital addiction among adults and young people. The document recommended implementing age-appropriate defaults on platforms as a key mitigation measure. This official acknowledgement provides a foundation for potential regulatory action beyond the scope of current laws.

Global regulatory models shape India's approach

International frameworks are informing the debate. The European Union's Digital Services Act mandates that very large platforms assess systemic risks and undergo annual independent audits. In the United States, a multistate settlement approved in August 2026 imposed specific design changes and audit requirements on major platforms.

Australia introduced legislation for a Digital Duty of Care in October 2026, including a user-controlled feed initiative. It had already established a minimum-age regime in December 2025, restricting social media accounts for children under 16.

India's legislative response to digital risks

India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, and its subsequent rules recognise psychological and behavioural risks in online gaming. This legislation, however, explicitly excludes social media platforms from its purview. To address this gap, a proposed amendment to the Information Technology Act, 2000, would establish a Platform Architecture Audit Committee. Members would be appointed through a transparent process.

Proposed audit framework targets design compliance

The proposed amendment would mandate annual independent audits for Significant Social Media Intermediaries, defined as platforms with over fifty lakh registered users. Smaller platforms would face risk-based assessments. These evaluations would consider factors like reliance on personalised recommendation systems and the exposure of children to harmful design features.

Auditors would examine design choices and their outcomes across different age groups. They would test whether implemented safeguards effectively reduce unintended engagement. The framework ensures platforms cannot choose or control their reviewers. Penalties for continued non-compliance would be proportionate to the platform's scale, the seriousness of the violation, its duration, and repetition.

Research shows the concerns driving this regulatory push. A 2023 field study found that infinite scroll extends user sessions due to external interruptions, not content satisfaction. A 2025 study linked habitual scrolling to attention difficulties and cognitive fatigue. Notifications also pose a risk; a 2015 study showed they disrupt attention-demanding tasks even without interaction, and a 2026 experiment found they can interrupt cognitive processing for about seven seconds.

The proposed legal changes aim to establish clear definitions and obligations concerning digital addiction and behavioural harms from engagement-driven design. The Centre's response to the Delhi High Court's query is now awaited.