This Village In Maharashtra Bans Mobile Usage For Children Below 18, Here's How Netizens Are Reacting

The relationship between electronic devices and a child's development has long been discussed in medical and academic circles. The majority of them conclude with the idea that responsible screen time of the same could benefit a child's growth, but many times parents and other entities fail to ensure wise and limited use of technology.

Taking a step regarding this issue, a village in Maharashtra decided to impose a ban on the use of mobile phones among children below the age of 18. With this decision, it would be the first of its kind ban in the state and has garnered reactions from people regarding its imposition and benefits.

Backdrop Of The Ban

The Bansi gram panchayat in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, announced on November 17 that they would be banning the use of mobile phones for children below the age of 18. The decision came in the backdrop of the increased screen time usage observed among children. A report by the Times Of India quoted Gajanan Tele, the village sarpanch saying, "During the Covid-19 pandemic, children started using mobile phones for online education. They soon got addicted to it, spending lots of time watching various sites and playing online games."

In order to curb such addictions and enable a healthy environment for the child's development, the gram panchayat decided to impose the ban. The village officials acknowledge that initially, there might be issues in implementing the ban effectively, so the villagers will have to cooperate with them. To facilitate a collaborative action toward the issue, the parents and children will be counselled about mobile usage and its impact on the growing minds.

The entire idea behind the ban is to get children back on track with their studies instead of remaining distracted by their screens. "Even after counselling, if we see children using mobile phones, then we will impose a penalty," added the sarpanch.

He believes that the ban is a "first of its kind in the state". Previously, Mohityanche Vadgaon village in Maharashtra had brought about the concept of "evening detox" to reduce mobile phone addiction among their villagers. In this initiative, they had both children and adults barred from using their phones between 7 to 8:30 pm every day to spend some quality time and stay away from their screens.

Reactions And Reception

The ban imposed by the village was supported by many, but they also viewed the idea of penalties as a negative form of conditioning. Few users noted that an imposed ban and penalty could go against the interest of many children and parents. However, a good share of netizens on Twitter and Facebook expressed their support for limiting screen time among children.

A user named Dr Milind Kulkarni, who is a professor as well as an engineer, commented that the ban is a good decision as phones are found to affect the studies and mental health of many children.

A village in Maharashtra took a good decision to ban mobile phones for kids below 18 years. Besides affecting studies, it affects their mental health in long run. pic.twitter.com/1LL8DYE6pr

— Dr. Milind Kulkarni (@drmkulkarni) November 17, 2022

This also placed a few conflicts as limiting the child's screen time during a time when online and hybrid classes continue seemed like a challenge to many parents. Increased screen time, even though a noticeable trend earlier, became more prominent during the pandemic. Several research studies conducted in the year 2020 pointed out that over 60 per cent of children were exposed to smartphones before the age of five.

One of the arguments against the Maharashtra village's ban was that such impositions could hinder the scope of digital literacy among children. On the same lines, a study by the Concordia University of Nebraska conveyed that introducing children to technology could benefit them by making them more technologically literate. While there are undeniably several learning opportunities facilitated through electronic devices, it could backfire in a similar manner if not responsibly used. Hence, moderation is the key in most cases.

Excessive screen time among children, as noted by the gram panchayat, could cause detrimental developmental challenges. A 2018 study drew out the correlation between increased screen time use and behavioural issues among children, such as hyperactivity, insomnia, and inattention.

Increased screen time inarguably takes away a good share of time that could be spent on maintaining physical activity, proper sleep, and playtime among developing children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has similarly studied the effects of screen time on children and emphasised the importance of minimising screen time. The way ahead would be to strike a proper balance in screen time that can be inculcated through education and the promotion of healthy habits.

Also Read: India Among Top 5 Nations Spending Most Time On Mobile Apps, Avg Of 4.8 Hours A Day: Report