India, Sept. 5 -- Children's screen and social media use is drawing tougher safeguards. In March, WhatsApp launched parent-managed accounts for under-13s. In August, Meta reached an $18 billion (approx Rs.170,080 crore) settlement with 48 US states, the District of Columbia and US territories, agreeing to stronger age checks, a two-hour daily limit for under-18s on Facebook and Instagram, midnight-to-6am access blocks and hidden "like" and reaction counts, among other measures. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for children from 2-K through eighth grade, alongside new screen-time recommendations. In France, President Emmanuel Macron called phones and social networks "not good" for high school students as a mobile-phone ban in high schools came into force. India's Economic Survey 2025-26 has also flagged digital addiction among children and adolescents, citing compulsive smartphone, gaming, social media, short-video and streaming use as risks to focus, mental well-being and future productivity. But what if the child is already hooked, with the screen becoming their entertainment, social life, distraction and comfort zone?...