MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar addresses internet addiction in children

Around 23.8 per cent of children use smartphones while they are in bed before going to sleep and 37.15 per cent of children have experienced reduced levels of concentration due to smartphone use, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the MeitY does not have any specific information on Internet addiction in children but cited data from a study done by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on “Effects (Physical, Behavioral and Psycho-Social) of using Mobile Phones and other devices with internet accessibility by children”.

“As per the study, 23.80 per cent of children use smart phones while they are in bed, before going to sleep which increase with age and 37.15 percent of children, always or frequently, experience reduced levels of concentration due to smart phone use,” Chandrasekhar said.

He was replying to a question that increase usage of cell phones among children during the pandemic resulting in internet addiction and its details. PTI