Delhi HC Asks Centre If It Plans Policy To Regulate ‘Addictive’ Social Media Features

In a recent development, the Delhi High Court has questioned the central government regarding their plans to regulate the addictive design features present on social media platforms. The court, comprising Justices Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Amit Sharma, is currently hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) that seeks the formation of an expert committee to evaluate the engagement-maximizing and addictive features employed by social media platforms. The hearing is set to resume after a three-week interval.

When the court inquired whether the government was contemplating a policy on this matter, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma informed the bench that he did not have any specific instructions to provide. Consequently, Sharma was directed to obtain instructions from the government.

The PIL has raised concerns over the design aspects of social media platforms, with counsel for the Centre and certain social media platforms objecting to the maintainability of the petition. Sharma, however, noted that the petition primarily addressed the design elements rather than the content displayed on these platforms.

The petitioner, Professor Vikas Kathuria, emphasized that the main issue lies not with the content but rather the manner in which social media platforms are designed to encourage continuous user engagement. Examples include infinite scroll, autoplay, algorithmically personalized feeds, notification systems, and reward mechanisms such as "likes," all of which are intended to captivate, retain, and repeatedly stimulate users' attention.

India's youth, aged between 18 and 24, reportedly spend over 120 minutes daily on social media. The petition asserts that extended usage has been clinically associated with suicide and depression among adolescents. Filed by advocates Kartika Sharma, Harsha Sadhwani, and Subhika Joshi, the petition calls for restrictions, prohibitions, or regulation of the mentioned design features, as well as the establishment of an expert committee to investigate engagement-maximizing social media design elements and propose safeguards.