Delhi High Court seeks government response on regulating addictive social-media design features

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court instructed the Union government to clarify whether it is formulating rules to limit design elements on social-media platforms that encourage addictive use, such as infinite scroll, autoplay, algorithmic feeds and persistent notifications. The two-judge bench, comprising Justices Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Amit Sharma, set a further hearing for three weeks later. When questioned, additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma replied that he lacks specific directions and was urged to obtain them.

The court is hearing a public-interest litigation filed by law professor Vikas Kathuria and advocates Kartika Sharma, Harsha Sadhwani and Subhika Joshi, which also calls for the creation of an expert committee to examine these engagement-maximising features. The petition highlights that Indian users aged 18-24 spend over two hours daily on social media and cites clinical links between prolonged use, depression and suicide among adolescents.

Counsel for the Centre and several platforms objected to the petition’s maintainability, citing prior Supreme Court and high-court rulings. The bench noted the issue falls within the policy-makers’ domain and will consider the government’s response at the next hearing.