India’s social media user boom raises concerns over youth screen time

India has emerged as one of the most important growth markets for global social media platforms, even as governments and civil society groups increasingly question the impact of excessive screen time and online exposure on young users.

By September 2025, India’s internet user base had grown to nearly 1.02 billion, up from about 250 million in 2014, highlighting the scale and speed of the country’s digital expansion. India is now the world’s second-largest smartphone market, with an estimated 750 million devices in use.

The country is also home to around 500 million unique social media users, according to data from research firm DataReportal. While companies such as Meta and Alphabet do not release official country-level figures, third-party estimates suggest YouTube has about 500 million users in India, followed by Instagram at 481 million and Facebook at 403 million. Snapchat is estimated to have 213 million users, while Elon Musk-owned X has a significantly smaller base of about 22 million users.

Also read: Economic Survey urges age-based limits on social media to curb digital addiction

High engagement levels have been supported by rapid improvements in connectivity and affordability. Average monthly data consumption per user has surged dramatically over the past decade, rising to about 24 gigabytes in 2025 from just 62 megabytes in 2014, according to government data. India also offers some of the world’s cheapest mobile data, with costs averaging roughly 10 cents per gigabyte.

Social media accounts for a major share of this usage. Indians spend an average of 3.2 hours per day on social networking apps, according to a 2023 report by the Esya Centre, making the country one of the most engaged digital audiences globally.

The scale of usage among younger users has intensified concerns around digital addiction and online safety. Around 24% of India’s population is under the age of 14, according to United Nations data. A government-backed survey conducted in 2024 found that nearly 90% of children aged 14 to 16 have access to a smartphone at home.

Also read: India weighs age limits on social media as economic survey flags digital addiction risks

The survey also showed that recreational activity dominates screen time. About 76% of children in that age group reported using smartphones for social media in the previous week, compared with 57% who used the devices for educational purposes.

As calls grow to restrict or better regulate social media access for minors, India’s sheer scale makes it a pivotal testing ground for how global platforms balance growth ambitions with rising scrutiny over youth wellbeing. (Inputs from Reuters)