The Delhi High Court has questioned the Indian government on whether it plans to regulate addictive features embedded in social media platforms, such as infinite scroll and autoplay. These design elements, while convenient, contribute to prolonged usage and raise behavioral risks that current laws do not sufficiently address.
- Delhi High Court seeks government stance on regulating addictive social media features.
- Platform design elements like autoplay and infinite scroll extend user engagement.
- Independent audits and standardized safeguards proposed to mitigate behavioral harms.
What happened
On September 16, 2026, the Delhi High Court inquired if India’s government plans to implement policies addressing social media features that cause addictive behavior. Features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and personalized feeds create seamless user experiences that encourage prolonged platform usage without conscious stopping points. These design decisions aim to boost engagement metrics valued by advertisers and platforms alike.
The court's question spotlighted a gap in current Indian digital legislation, which predominantly focuses on regulating harmful content rather than the design mechanics that drive excessive use. This has prompted calls for policy measures ensuring platforms conduct behavioral risk assessments, deploy default safeguards, and submit to independent reviews to protect users from unintended consequences of engagement-driven design.
Why it matters
The core business model of social media platforms relies on capturing user attention, as longer engagement translates to higher advertising revenue and richer user data. However, when design features prioritize maximizing time spent on apps over user wellbeing, there are demonstrable costs. These include disturbed sleep, reduced productivity, impaired cognitive function, and potential mental health challenges, especially among adolescents and young adults.
Research over the past years has consistently linked specific platform features to habitual and unintentional use patterns. Studies demonstrate that infinite scroll traps users in ‘scrolling loops,’ autoplay extends viewing sessions, and notifications disrupt focus even without active interaction. These insights raise ethical considerations about the responsibility of platforms to mitigate harm detected in their own internal research and independent studies.
What to watch next
The Indian government’s response to the Delhi High Court’s inquiry will be critical in shaping future digital regulations. Stakeholders expect moves toward requiring platforms to include standardized safeguards by default, conduct behavioral impact assessments, and submit to independent audits focusing on design-driven risks rather than content alone.
International precedent may also influence India’s approach, as various jurisdictions explore interventions targeting platform design to address digital addiction. Observers should monitor policy debates, potential guidelines from Indian regulators, and platform adaptations in response to increased regulatory scrutiny around design elements driving user engagement.