Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has constituted a 13-member expert task force to study the impact of social media on children below 18 and recommend state-level regulatory and policy measures, citing Union finance ministry survey data and Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) findings on rising mental health disorders among minors.Maharashtra has approximately four crore children below 18 who may potentially be facing mental health disorder based on IPS findings. The state decided to commission a comprehensive study after the central govt’s economic survey raised serious concerns about the growing social media exposure of minors and its health implications.The task force’s terms of reference are extensive as it will study the nature and extent of social media use among minors, its effects on mental and physical health, impact on education and social skills, and the role of digital advertising targeting children. It will also examine rural-urban differences, variations across gender and income groups, and existing national and international regulatory models before recommending legal, administrative and technical measures. The panel is expected to propose a comprehensive policy framework for Maharashtra, with the state govt committing to take decisions that ensure children’s safety while keeping education, digital empowerment and positive technology use unaffected.The task force must submit its detailed report and recommendations within three months of its constitution. It will conduct field visits at the grassroots level in addition to desk research. Administrative support will be provided by the information technology department.The task force will be chaired by the additional chief secretary or principal secretary of school education and sports department, with women and child development department secretary as co-chairperson. Members include senior secretaries from the public health, information technology, law and justice, and home department. The associate dean of commerce and management at Mumbai University, the principal of Bombay Scottish School, Mumbai, and a Marathi-medium school principal are also members, alongside a representative of a prominent non-governmental organisation in the field. The IPS will also have a representative on the panel. A social media platform representative will be invited as a member. Director of the IT directorate will serve as member secretary. The chairperson retains the authority to invite additional experts as needed.
