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GUWAHATI:
A new nationwide survey has found that nearly six in 10 young Indians experience negative emotional effects from spending more time online, and online risks are more likely to come from people they know than strangers.
The findings come from SCREEN (Student Cyber Resilience, Education, and Empowerment Nationwide), a survey of approximately 4,000 young people between the ages of 11 and 30, mostly from economically disadvantaged communities.
The survey report was released on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) at the Youth in the Loop 2026 summit convened by Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and The Quantum Hub in New Delhi.
The findings challenge the dominant “stranger danger” narrative around online security. Unwanted contact from acquaintances was reported by 37.9% of respondents compared to 23.4% who experienced such contact from strangers.
The most acute problem was among 17-18-year-olds, of whom more than half (53.1%) reported unwanted contact with people they already know, such as friends, classmates or acquaintances.
The survey also highlights significant inequalities in digital access. While 77.9% of respondents reported smartphone access at the household level, access to computers or laptops showed a marked urban-rural gap: 72.5% in metros compared to just 36.5% in rural areas, a 36% difference with significant implications for education and employment.
Digital literacy remains limited, study shows. Only 37.1% of respondents said they could effectively use online reporting or moderation tools, while one in five did not know such tools existed.
Awareness and ability were lowest among younger users and rural respondents; among 11-13-year-olds, only 20.9% were able to use these tools effectively.
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The emotional toll of being online
The emotional toll of online engagement is widespread. Around 60% of young people reported identifiable negative emotional reactions associated with long-term use of digital technology.
A quarter said they felt anxious, overwhelmed or afraid of missing out, while a similar proportion said they felt tired or mentally drained. Almost one in four expressed guilt or regret over the amount of time they spend online.
The survey also points to gendered patterns of digital harm. Girls were more likely to report negative social comparisons, while boys reported higher levels of gaming urges, compulsive scrolling, and content sharing that they later regretted. However, sleep disturbance showed no gender difference.
When faced with bad or dangerous online experiences, friends (32.8%) and parents (30.2%) emerged as the main sources of support. Yet 14.5% of respondents said they had not told anyone, suggesting a significant minority are dealing with online harm in isolation.
AI chatbots, while still on the fringes, are starting to emerge as a support option, used by 6.4% of respondents.
When asked what they would most like to improve online, young people mostly pointed to internet connection and speed (38.2%), followed by concerns related to gaming, cybercrime, bullying and content moderation.
“The findings show that young people are not asking to be excluded from the internet, but are demanding safer, fairer and more transparent digital spaces,” said YLAC co-founder Aprajita Bharti.
The summit concluded with a call for approaches to online safety that go beyond regulation and put young people at the center of policy-making, reflecting how the internet is actually perceived by its youngest users.
Published – 16 Jan 2026 17:14 IST
