Pune: Child rights activists and digital policy experts have questioned the Maharashtra govt’s decision to grant a six-month extension to a state-appointed task force examining social media use among minors, arguing that the panel should have adhered to its original timeline or at least submitted interim recommendations to enable immediate policy action.The extension was granted through a govt resolution issued by the state’s electronics, information technology and artificial intelligence department on June 25. The 13-member task force, constituted on March 25 this year was originally mandated to submit its recommendations within three months.Pune-based child rights activist Anuradha Sahasrabudhe told TOI that the task force should include experts who work closely with children and possess firsthand experience in child rights and related issues. “The committee could have issued interim recommendations while continuing its deliberations on the final report. Extending its tenure by another six months means the recommendations may now come only towards the end of the year, even though these issues demand immediate attention,” she said.Sahasrabudhe said children today are spending unprecedented amount of time on social media, with inadequate regulation and awareness contributing to behavioural, emotional and psychological concerns. “I hope the task force undertakes a comprehensive study, comes up with well-considered recommendations and suggests effective safeguards to ensure greater accountability, responsible use of social media and stronger protection for children in the digital space,” she added.According to the govt resolution, the panel requires additional time for collection, verification and analysis of information. The govt also cited the broad scope and complexity of the subject, saying more time was needed to prepare a comprehensive report with well-considered recommendations.However, activists said the extension could delay urgently needed safeguards for children exposed to online addiction, cyberbullying and harmful content. While acknowledging the importance of a detailed study, they argued that interim recommendations would have allowed the govt to begin policy interventions while the panel completed its final report, said Medha Rao, an activist working with children. Some also questioned whether the state would be able to formulate and implement a policy expeditiously if the task force itself was unable to meet its initial deadline.The task force was constituted after concerns over children’s increasing exposure to social media were raised during the state budget session earlier this year. Responding to legislators’ demands for safeguards, information technology minister Ashish Shelar announced that the govt would formulate a comprehensive policy on social media use by minors based on the panel’s recommendations, while clarifying that it was not considering an outright ban.In the March 25 resolution constituting the panel, the state cited the Union finance ministry’s Economic Survey, which flagged the adverse impact of excessive social media use on children’s mental and physical health, and observations by the Indian Psychiatric Society pointing to a rise in mental health disorders among minors. Noting that Maharashtra has nearly four crore children below the age of 18, the govt said a comprehensive study was essential before framing regulatory measures.The task force has been asked to examine patterns of social media use among minors and its impact on their mental and physical health, education, behaviour, intellectual development and social skills. It will also study the influence of digital advertising, review national and international regulatory frameworks, recommend legal, administrative and technological interventions, and conduct field visits across the state before submitting its report.
