IEIC, NIMHANS & GoI’s consumer affairs dept partner for study on tech de-addiction

Bengaluru-based NIMHANS, think-tank Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) and the Centre’s department of consumer affairs have come together to take up research promoting responsible and healthy usage of digital content.

With the study, IEIC wants to address issues related to abusive consumption, addiction, and associated dysfunctions arising from dysfunctional impulse control patterns. The research project will identify underlying factors contributing to excessive online content consumption, building a predictive and coping model that can be made available to all digital consumers online. The findings will inform evidence-based policy decisions, emphasizing the establishment of guardrails and the development of effective coping mechanisms to safeguard consumers, the IEIC said in a press statement.

Initially centered on online gaming, the study seeks to develop a responsible digital consumption model scalable to diverse digital platforms, including social media. Through comprehensive analysis, a framework will be devised to predict, alert, and intervene with appropriate coping mechanisms, they said.


IEIC, supported by stakeholders from the technology and interactive entertainment ecosystem, including interactive entertainment investors, game developers, publishers, advisors, and technology providers, will facilitate sharing of non-proprietary and anonymized data for research, the statement said, adding that Griffin Gaming Partners, Makers Fund, Courtside Ventures, ChennaiGames, Artoon Solutions, Expand My Business, Hash Byte, and WinZO are among the stakeholders, the organisation said.

The collaboration signals a proactive approach by the industry, research institutes, and government to fostering responsible technology use. It highlights the shared commitment to promoting consumer well-being in the digital era. With the proliferation of smartphones and affordable internet access, there's been a significant rise in the time spent on digital devices, particularly among younger persons. Reports suggest that Indian adults spend an average of around 4-5 hours daily on their smartphones, while teenagers spend even more time online, sometimes upwards of 8-9 hours daily, the statement added.