Indian police said Thursday that an investigation has been launched into the suspected suicide of three young sisters over concerns that they were heavily “influenced” by online games and movies that they were later denied access to.
Indian police are investigating the suspected suicide of three sistersThe sisters, aged 12, 14 and 16, jumped from their home in the city of Ghaziabad on the outskirts of the national capital on Wednesday, local media reported.
Concerns have grown among experts and regulators in recent years that excessive screen time and addictive algorithms are harming children’s development, with authorities including India pushing to ban social media for children and teenagers.
“Investigations are going on based on the suicide notes and their phones,” Nimish Patil, a senior police officer, told AFP on Thursday.
Police in India routinely investigate the causes of suspected suicides.
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The sisters were “denied access” to K-pop music and Korean games and movies they had previously played and watched online.
“They were influenced by Korean culture: K-pop music, games and movies,” Patil said.
He also said the family also seemed to be in financial trouble.
Their father recently took away their devices and banned them from watching Korean dramas and playing online games, the Indian Express newspaper reported. AFP could not immediately reach family members for comment.
Korean culture has gained popularity in India over the past few decades, especially among young people, starting with rapper Psy’s 2012 hit “Gangnam Style” and expanding through K?pop and streaming platforms, infused with Korean dramas.
The case has sparked controversy in India with intense media coverage highlighting concerns that skyrocketing online exposure among young people is deepening mental health vulnerabilities.
Two states in India recently said they are preparing the ground to ban children from using social media.
Internationally, governments are exploring social media restrictions for children and teenagers, led by Australia, which banned the network for under-16s in December.
French lawmakers in the country’s lower house passed a bill last month that, if confirmed by the Senate, would ban the use of social media by under-15s and ban mobile phones from high schools.
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