Social media is enslaving, not connecting!

Introduction

Social media platforms—Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok—are often celebrated for connecting people across geographies, democratizing information, and providing spaces for self-expression. However, in India, where over 500 million citizens are “active social media users,” these platforms have also become catalysts for anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and pervasive feelings of inadequacy—especially among the nation’s youth. “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO), incessant upward social comparisons, and unregulated harassment have turned what was once a tool for connection into a vector of mental and emotional distress. This article examines how social media’s architecture—driven by algorithmic engagement, data-driven advertising, and viral sensationalism—entraps young Indians in a cycle of anxiety, isolation, and digital dependency.

1. The Mechanics of FOMO and Upward Social Comparison

At the heart of social media’s allure lies constant, curated glimpses of others’ lives. The Drishti IAS model essay (2025) elucidates how features like “Stories” (Instagram, Snapchat) and algorithmically prioritized feeds create a polarized reality, wherein users see only the highlight reels of peers and influencers—vacations, parties, achievements—fostering an insatiable drive to “keep up.” This phenomenon, known as Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), has been linked to sleep deprivation, stress, and diminished academic performance among Indian adolescents (Drishti IAS).

A Times of India op-ed by Anupam Mittal (May 27, 2025) argues that India’s “real brain drain” for Generation Z is to social media—where endless “doomscrolling” and zero-attention content erode focus and creative potential. Mittal warns that India’s burgeoning tech economy may be undercut by an entire generation distracted by compulsive feed consumption, rather than honing skills and pursuing intellectual growth (The Times of India).

Furthermore, upward social comparisons—constantly benchmarking oneself against “better” lifestyles—have demonstrable psychological effects. When fifteen-year-old students in Lucknow see peers flaunting expensive gadgets or attending premium coaching classes on Instagram, they may internalize feelings of inferiority and failure. A KGMU study (Lucknow) documented a 30 percent rise in anxiety disorders among teenagers reporting frequent exposure to curated social media content—many of whom described feelings of “never being good enough” (The Times of India).

2. Cyberbullying, Harassment, and the Dark Side of Connectivity

While social media can amplify positive voices, it also empowers anonymous trolls and cyberbullies. In early 2025, KGMU psychiatrists noted a sharp increase in cyberbullying cases among Indian students: one 19-year-old tribal student from Uttar Pradesh fell into deep depression after casteist abuse in WhatsApp groups and Instagram comment sections, culminating in self-harm attempts (The Times of India).

Platforms’ weak moderation policies—and the ease of creating fake accounts—magnify the scale of harassment. A Times of India report (June 2025) chronicled how a 16-year-old Delhi schoolgirl faced sustained online abuse after protesting a campus policy online; trolls doxxed her family, leading to threats of physical violence and long-term psychological trauma (The Times of India). Similarly, LGBTQ+ youth disproportionately report being targeted in homophobic and transphobic comment threads—exacerbating feelings of isolation and suicidal ideation. The absence of robust age-verification mechanisms means that minors are often unprotected, and avenues for grievance redress are slow or opaque.

3. Algorithmic Addiction and Mental Health

Social media platforms are engineered to maximize engagement—leveraging dopamine loops and data-driven algorithms that learn which content keeps users scrolling. A 2024 WHO Foundation collaboration (“Baatcheet” project) found that excessive social media use correlates with higher rates of depression and anxiety among 16–24-year-olds in India, prompting an initiative to channel youth toward narrative-based mental health interventions online (WHO Foundation).

National Sleep Foundation studies (2024) indicate that Indian adolescents who log over three hours of social media use nightly report poorer sleep quality, reduced attention spans, and heightened irritability (Drishti IAS). Chronic sleep deprivation, in turn, impairs emotional regulation and exacerbates mental health disorders—creating a cycle in which troubled sleep fuels further online escapism, deepening anxiety and depression.

Additionally, the gamification of “likes,” “shares,” and “follower counts” triggers a validation addiction, comparable to gambling. When a post fails to garner expected engagement, users experience emotional “withdrawal,” which can manifest as irritability, sadness, or compulsively checking the app for updates. Over time, this erodes self-esteem, leading to a phenomenon known as “variable reward” anxiety—where users remain perpetually anxious about social validation, further entrenching digital dependency.

4. Mitigating the Digital Deluge: Strategies for Youth Resilience

Addressing the mental health fallout of social media requires a multi-pronged approach involving schools, families, policymakers, and the platforms themselves:

1. Digital Literacy and Mental Health Curriculum

   • Introduce mandatory modules in secondary schools focusing on healthy social media use: time management, recognizing FOMO, and understanding algorithmic manipulation.
   • Incorporate mindfulness exercises and “digital detox” days to help students recalibrate their relationship with screens. (News18, The Times of India).

2. Strengthening Cyberbullying Laws and Reporting Mechanisms

   • The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and its subsequent amendments must be enforced more rigorously to penalize perpetrators of cyberharassment.
   • Social platforms should be mandated to provide an “instant distress button”—allowing minors to flag content and perpetrators in real time, with legal safeguards ensuring swift action.

3. Community-Based Peer Support Platforms

   • Programs like Baatcheet—which encourage youth to share personal stories and coping strategies—demonstrate that positive online spaces can mitigate loneliness and emotional distress (WHO Foundation).
   • Encourage NGOs and mental health organizations to collaborate on moderated forums where adolescents can discuss online pressures anonymously, guided by trained counselors.

4. Regulating Attention-Harvesting Algorithms

   • The government’s proposed Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (yet to be enacted) should include provisions requiring platforms to offer “time-spent” dashboards and warnings after set intervals (for instance, after one hour of continuous use).
   • Introduce a “nudge policy” compelling platforms to de-prioritize sensationalist or FOMO-inducing content in youth feeds, replacing it with educational or mental-health resources.

Conclusion

The promise of social media—to empower, inform, and connect—has been steadily eclipsed by its capacity to exploit human psychology for engagement. In India’s digitally native generation, the rush of endorphins from likes and the perpetual anxiety of missing out have fueled a mental health crisis that no single intervention can fully resolve. Yet, as this article has shown, a coordinated effort—spanning digital literacy, legal reform, community engagement, and algorithmic accountability—can reclaim social media as a tool of genuine connection rather than an engine of compulsion. Recognizing that “connection” is not measured by follower counts but by empathy, shared experiences, and meaningful dialogue is the first step. Only then can the youth of India find balance—leveraging technology without succumbing to its more insidious impulses.

References

1. Sangath & WHO Foundation, “Sharing Stories Online to Ease India’s Mental Health Crisis,” WHO Foundation Blog, 2024. (WHO Foundation)
2. “India’s real brain drain is to social media, warns Anupam Mittal: 7 ways your feed is crippling your academic potential,” The Times of India, May 27, 2025. (The Times of India)
3. “Cyberbullying taking toll on youngsters’ mental health,” The Times of India, May 2025. (The Times of India)
4. “Breaking Minds, Not Just News,” The Times of India, May 2025. (The Times of India)
5. Drishti IAS, “Social Media Is Triggering ‘Fear of Missing Out’ Amongst the Youth Precipitating Depression and Loneliness,” Drishti IAS Model Essays, 2025. (Drishti IAS)
6. National Sleep Foundation, “Adolescent Social Media Use and Sleep Patterns,” 2024. (Drishti IAS)
7. “Rise of depression amongst young adults in India,” The Times of India Blogs, 2023. (The Times of India)