Members of the Rajya Sabha expressed grave worries about the mounting health and developmental catastrophe that India’s youngsters are experiencing, with a focus on smartphone addiction and a dramatic increase in myopia cases. Lehar Singh Siroya, a member of the BJP, cautioned that unrestrained smartphone use among students is seriously impairing their capacity to focus, grow socially, and preserve mental health. He said that the issue is “impairing concentration and social development” and likened its intensity to heroin addiction.
Siroya advocated for such limitations on smartphone and social media use in India, citing instances from other nations where social media accounts for children under 16 are prohibited in order to protect kids from harmful content, addictive algorithms, and cyberbullying. Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade, a BJP member, emphasized the concerning prevalence of myopia in children and youth in both urban and rural India, highlighting the health implications. He cautioned that extreme myopia may cause glaucoma, retinal detachment, myopic neuropathy, and early-onset cataracts, all of which could result in irreversible blindness. Concerns regarding the regulation of over-the-top (OTT) platforms were also covered at the session.
AD Singh, an RJD member, argued that the current 2021 regulations have been ineffectual because of inadequate grievance procedures and low accountability, and he called for the creation of a legislative authority to oversee harmful content. He pointed to an increase in content that encourages violence, profanity, and discord among communities. The establishment of an export-import facility center in Bihar, the approval of the Hosur International Airport project in Tamil Nadu, the preservation of the endangered Siri cow breed in Sikkim, the provision of breakfast in addition to midday meals in government schools, and the promotion of geothermal power generation were among the various issues brought up by other members.
