Mumbai: Sounding an alarm over what is being described as a silent but rapidly spreading crisis, the Maharashtra Government has constituted a high-level expert task force to examine the alarming rise of “digital addiction” among children below 16 years of age. The announcement was made in the Legislative Council by State IT Minister Ashish Shelar, who acknowledged the growing unease over the unchecked exposure of minors to social media, online gaming, and aggressive digital advertising.
Addressing the House, Shelar said the expert panel, comprising members from both Houses of the State Legislature, has been given a fixed timeline to submit its report, which is expected before the next legislative session. The urgency reflects the seriousness with which the state is viewing what many lawmakers described as a looming mental health emergency.
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Deep probe into social media and gaming impact
The task force will undertake a comprehensive study into the nature, scale and authenticity of social media and online gaming usage among children under 16. Beyond mere screen time, the panel will scrutinise the mental, physical and educational consequences of excessive digital exposure.
The committee will also evaluate digital advertisements, online platforms, and both national and international regulatory frameworks, before recommending stringent legal, technical and administrative measures. Educationists, psychiatrists, child counsellors, technology experts, doctors, legal specialists and senior government officials will be part of the state-level panel, underscoring the multi-dimensional threat posed by digital addiction.
The scope of the study is expansive and unsettling. It will examine child protection and online safety, mental health deterioration, balanced use of digital platforms, academic decline, overall personality development, cultural and family influences, gender-based patterns, rural-urban disparities and inclusion across income groups. The panel will even assess productivity losses and broader macroeconomic implications, a sign that the crisis is no longer confined to homes but is seen as affecting society at large.
Rising suicide concerns shake Legislature
The issue gained prominence following a calling attention motion raised by MLCs Niranjan Davkhare and Sanjay Kenekar, who warned that uncontrolled mobile phone use and addictive online gaming are contributing to mounting stress levels and an increase in suicides among children and youth.
Legislators across party lines expressed deep concern, raising questions about age restrictions on gaming apps and social media platforms, and whether digital advertisements targeting minors should face stricter regulation. Davkhare demanded harsh legal action against those who incite suicide and called for objectionable and harmful apps to be banned outright, with criminal cases filed against their creators.
Responding to these demands, Shelar clarified that regulation of social media platforms falls primarily under the jurisdiction of the Central Government, but assured that the state would coordinate closely to implement decisive measures.
40 million children at stake
Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Shelar stated that Maharashtra has nearly 40 million children below 18 years of age, including approximately 30 million under 15, making their mental and physical well-being a matter of grave public importance.
He informed the House that on February 2, 2026, the state government had already constituted a special task force to tackle the growing menace of online gaming. Additionally, a stern warning has been issued that strict action will be taken under the Information Technology Act against obscene, misleading, criminal or fraudulent advertisements targeting children on digital platforms.
The government has asserted that it will take all necessary legal and administrative steps to shield children and adolescents from the clutches of digital addiction. However, as concerns over rising stress levels and suicide rates intensify, the coming months will test whether policy action can keep pace with a fast-evolving digital threat that many fear is spiralling out of control.
