Dinesh Gundu Rao Seeks Law on Digital De-addiction, Flags Social Media Impact on Youth

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 1, 2026: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday expressed serious concern over the growing mental and physical health issues among children and youth due to excessive exposure to social media, and said he would write to the Union Health Minister seeking legislation on digital de-addiction.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ‘Ayush Habba’ in Mangaluru, Mr. Rao said students were significantly exposed to social media during the Covid-19 pandemic when education shifted online, aggravating the problem. Citing global examples, he noted that Australia has already imposed a ban on social media usage for children.

Stressing the urgency of the issue, the Minister said there was a pressing need for a law to curb digital addiction, which has emerged as a major concern for young people across the country. “I will shortly write a letter to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda in this regard,” he said.

Commenting on the contractors’ threat to go on strike from February 5 over pending payments, Mr. Rao condemned the move, stating that contractors routinely submit bills for completed works before every government and seek clearance. He said there were established channels through which the contractors’ association could raise the issue with the government. “They cannot go public on non-clearance of bills and make baseless allegations against the government,” he said.