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Billionaire entrepreneur and Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has raised fresh concerns about how excessive exposure to digital devices is shaping children’s behaviour and cognitive development. In a recent social media post, he warned that while screens often help parents manage busy schedules, they may quietly be building long-term dependency among young users.
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“For most parents, digital devices have become a pacifier… it’s understandable, but it creates dependency in the long run,” Kamath wrote, pointing to the strong pull of reels and clips.
He linked this trend to the growing presence of digital technology in everyday learning environments.
One user pointed out that the real challenge lies in the design of digital platforms. “You can limit time, but you’re still dealing with systems engineered to win attention,” the user noted.
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Another highlighted the pressures of nuclear family setups, where screens often double up as a support system for parents managing work and home without extended family help.
As the debate continues, one thing stands out: controlling screen time may be easier than controlling what captures a child’s attention within that time.
A concern that hits home
Kamath’s remarks struck a chord with many parents navigating similar challenges. Sharing his personal experience, he said his son studies in a school where digital devices are not allowed, and screen time at home is capped at 30 minutes a day. Despite these limits, he noted how easily children are drawn to short-form content.Also Read: Are you stressed and overloaded? R Madhavan shares a simple one-minute trick to calm your mind and find focus
“For most parents, digital devices have become a pacifier… it’s understandable, but it creates dependency in the long run,” Kamath wrote, pointing to the strong pull of reels and clips.
What the science suggests
Along with his post, Kamath shared a video by cognitive neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, who highlighted a worrying shift in learning abilities among younger generations. According to Horvath, children today may be falling behind previous generations in areas such as attention span, memory, literacy, numeracy, and executive function — even though they spend more time in formal education.He linked this trend to the growing presence of digital technology in everyday learning environments.
Debate moves beyond screen time
The discussion that followed showed that parents are no longer only worried about how long children spend on screens, but also about what they consume.One user pointed out that the real challenge lies in the design of digital platforms. “You can limit time, but you’re still dealing with systems engineered to win attention,” the user noted.
Also Read: Harsh Goenka shares Mumbai’s new obsession after Labubu, mahjong and padel, and you may have tried it too
Another highlighted the pressures of nuclear family setups, where screens often double up as a support system for parents managing work and home without extended family help.
Is it the device or the usage?
Some users offered a more balanced view, arguing that the issue is not devices themselves but how they are used. They said that while productive screen use can support learning and critical thinking, passive consumption of short-form, highly addictive content is where the real concern lies.A growing parenting dilemma
Kamath’s post adds to a wider conversation around digital habits in children, especially in urban households where screens are deeply embedded in daily routines. For many families, the question is no longer whether to allow screens, but how to manage their impact.As the debate continues, one thing stands out: controlling screen time may be easier than controlling what captures a child’s attention within that time.
