BENGALURU: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday said that the State Government has prepared a draft policy to address excessive and unsafe digital use by children. The aim is not to ban, but to promote its responsible use.
“We cannot restrict children from using it. But we can guide them, involve parents, and start conversations. This is about awareness, not punishment,” he said.
The draft policy, prepared in collaboration with NIMHANS, states that nearly one in four adolescents show signs of problematic Internet use. It highlights links between excessive screen time and anxiety, sleep disturbances, poor academic performance, and social isolation. It flags growing exposure to cyber risks such as cyberbullying, grooming, and online exploitation.
The draft policy framers have adopted a multi-stakeholder approach, involving parents, teachers, schools and government systems.
“Children are getting exposed at a very young age. We need to raise awareness among them and their families about the benefits and risks of technology,” Rao said.
He clarified that restrictions on social media platforms for children cannot be implemented at the state-level alone. It requires national-level regulation involving platform providers.
Key measures include integrating digital wellness with school curricula, setting recreational screen-time limits of up to one hour a day, and training teachers to identify early signs of digital addiction using models such as “5C” framework, craving, control, compulsion, coping and consequences. Schools will also be encouraged to establish digital wellness committees, promote offline activities, and create structured referral systems for counselling and mental health support.
The draft is in the public domain and feedback from stakeholders, including parents, educators and students, will be considered before framing the final policy.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT INITIATIVE
Bangalore Hospice Trust -- Karunashraya launched the Kannada edition of its caregiver series, “Moments That Matter”, in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The 17-module animation-based series offers practical guidance for home-based care of advanced-stage cancer patients, aiming to strengthen caregiver support and accessibility across Karnataka.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao inaugurated the edition. It is expected to expand access across Karnataka, strengthening caregiver support and improving the quality of home-based palliative care. All videos are available on Karunashraya’s YouTube channel.