Amid growing concerns over "digital addiction" among children under 16, the Maharashtra government has constituted an expert task force to study the impact of digital addiction on children and suggest corrective measures, state IT Minister Ashish Shelar told the legislative council on Wednesday.
Sharing the details in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Shelar said that the panel will comprise members from both Houses of the state legislature and will be mandated to submit its recommendations within a fixed timeframe. According to the minister, the report is expected to be presented before the commencement of the next legislative session.
Task force to study impacts of social media and gaming
He said that the task force will conduct a detailed assessment of the nature and authenticity of social media and gaming use among children under 16. The mental, physical, and educational impacts will also be studied.
This committee will study digital advertising, online platforms, and national and international regulatory frameworks and recommend necessary legal, technical, and administrative measures.
The state-level expert task force will include educationists, psychiatrists, child counsellors, technology experts, management experts, doctors, legal experts and senior officials from the departments concerned.
The task force will study child protection and safety, the impact on mental health, balanced and responsible use of digital platforms, impact on education and overall development, cultural and family factors, gender-based differences, rural-urban disparities, and inclusion across all income groups.
It will also assess productivity and broader macroeconomic implications and review existing national and international frameworks on digital safety for children.
The government is preparing to take concrete steps to control the uncontrolled use of social media and gaming.
Concern over rising suicide rates
Shelar was responding to a calling attention motion raised by MLCs Niranjan Davkhare and Sanjay Kenekar, highlighting the growing digital addiction among children and its adverse effects. They stated that excessive use of mobile phones and online gaming is leading to increased mental stress and suicide rates among children and youth.
Legislators from various parties participated in the discussion, where questions were raised regarding age restrictions for gaming apps and social media usage for children, and whether restrictions would be imposed on digital advertisements targeting minors.
Davkhare demanded that strict legal action be taken against those who incite suicide. Furthermore, objectionable and harmful apps should be banned, and criminal cases should be filed against their creators.
Responding to this, Shelar said that controlling social media falls under the jurisdiction of the central government, and therefore, concrete steps will be taken in coordination with the central government on this issue.
Strict action against fake and misleading advertisements
Shelar said that there are approximately 40 million children under the age of 18 in the state, of which approximately 30 million are under the age of 15. Therefore, the issue of their mental and physical health is a matter of grave public importance.
He informed that on February 2, 2026, the state government formed a special task force to combat online gaming.
A warning has also been issued that strict action will be taken under the Information Technology Act against obscene, misleading, criminal, or fraudulent advertisements on online platforms.
The government states that all necessary legal and administrative measures will be taken to protect children and adolescents from digital addiction.
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