A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a ban or regulation of addictive design features like infinite scroll and autoplay to protect the mental health of Indian youth.

  • Petition targets 'engagement-maximizing' design features like infinite scroll and autoplay.
  • Indian youth (18-24) spend an average of 120+ minutes daily on social media.
  • The plea links excessive social media use to adolescent depression and suicide.

A significant legal battle has commenced in the Delhi High Court as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeks the constitution of an expert committee to examine design features on social media platforms that are engineered to cause addiction. The petition specifically highlights mechanisms such as 'infinite scroll' and 'autoplay' as tools for psychological manipulation.

The petitioner, Vikas Kathuria, a professor of law at BML Munjal University, argues that the core issue is not the nature of the content being shared, but the architectural design of the platforms. According to the plea, features like algorithmically curated feeds, persistent notification systems, and variable-reward metrics (such as 'likes') are strategically implemented to capture, retain, and repeatedly re-stimulate user attention.

Read Also:Independence Day 2026: The Hidden India Found Beyond the Map

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this case shifts the debate from 'content moderation' to 'product design.' While governments have focused on censoring harmful posts, this PIL targets the underlying machinery that keeps users hooked. If successful, this could force tech giants to redesign their interfaces to prioritize user well-being over profit-driven engagement metrics.

The architectural design of modern apps is intentionally crafted to create a dopamine loop, effectively turning user attention into a commodity.

The gravity of the situation is underscored by statistics indicating that Indian youths aged 18-24 spend an average of over 120 minutes daily on social media. The petition further asserts that clinical evidence links these prolonged hours of usage to rising rates of depression and suicide among adolescents, making regulatory intervention a necessity.

The plea requests the court to direct the Central Government and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to restrict, prohibit, or strictly regulate these addictive features. The case, which initially came before Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, will be heard by another bench next week following Justice Karia's recusal.

Did You Know?: The 'Infinite Scroll' was designed to remove the friction of clicking 'Next Page,' but psychologists now call it a 'bottomless bowl' effect, where users consume content without realizing how much time has passed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the 'Infinite Scroll' feature?
It is a design where content continuously loads as the user scrolls down, eliminating natural stopping points and encouraging endless consumption.

2. Who is the petitioner in this case?
The PIL was filed by Vikas Kathuria, a law professor at BML Munjal University.