Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has released a draft digital detox policy for children, capping screen time at one hour and barring access to the internet after 7 pm.
The other proposals include audio-only plans and age-appropriate devices.
The aim is to train young children to use these devices more responsibly. Schools and teachers would also actively teach digital behaviour to the students, monitoring their screen time and flag any observable impact of excessive use, the draft policy mandates, News18 reported.
The draft policy comes amid mounting concerns over excessive screen exposure among students and how its affect on their emotional and physical health.
The draft has been jointly Prepared by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka State Mental Health Authority and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. It frames screen and mobile addiction not just as a habit issue, but as a public health concern that schools, parents and the state must tackle together.
What The Draft Policy Proposes:
Age-appropriate devices for children, including restricted ‘child plans’ and even audio-only phone options.
Automatic cut-off of mobile internet data usage after 7pm for younger users.
Cap on recreational screen time outside studies, suggested at one hour per day.
Devices designed to evolve with children, with controlled operating system updates as they grow.
Mandatory integration of digital well-being into school curriculum.
Lessons on online safety, privacy, cyberbullying and responsible digital behaviour.
Classroom conversations around mental health impacts like stress, anxiety, irritability and falling academic performance.
Formation of Digital Safety and Wellness Committees in schools, including educators, parents, students and even cybercrime police representatives.
Mandatory sensitisation programmes for teachers, parents and students
Counselling systems and referral pathways for students showing signs of digital overuse or distress.
The draft policy has been released for public feedback. Chief minister Siddaramaiah had earlier proposed a ban on the use of social media for children under 16.
The goal of the draft policy is to foster digital well-being, emotional regulation and screen-time awareness in schools, officials said. The target group reportedly includes students from Classes 9-12, teachers and parents.
Schools would be required to incorporate digital well-being and social media literacy into the curriculum, including lessons on age-appropriate responsible digital behaviour, online safety, privacy, cyberbullying and balanced screen use.
Schools would also be expected to frame their own digital use policies, including protocols to address cyberbullying, setting age-based limits on recreational screen time – capped at one hour per day outside academic use – and counselling mechanisms for students, along with defining the role of teachers in moderating digital exposure.
The draft policy also calls for developing age-appropriate phones for children and OS update for device as they grow old. It further suggested framing a special ‘child plan’ with audio-only phones.
