57% of Indians expect social media ban for children under 14 in 2025: Report

According to the Ipsos Predictions 2025 Report, at least 3 in 4 urban Indians polled (76%) have higher hopes and optimism from Circa 2025 expecting it to be more favourable for them, compared to the year 2024. Interestingly, India has exhibited the sharpest drop of -11 percentage points this year compared to the opinion captured about prospects of 2024, asked last year around the same time.  This year, India was ranked 13th in the pecking order among 33 countries, in comparison 71% global citizens were hopeful of the upcoming year, 2025 to be good for them. The top markets expecting great prospects for 2025 were Indonesia (90%), Colombia (88%) and China (87%). The market at the bottom of the heap with least hope for 2025 was Japan (38%).  

Further, Indian citizens expect 2025 to provide better physical (75%) and mental (75%) wellbeing, improved outlook of citizens (73%) and strengthen the global economy (73%). As the year 2024 draws to a close,the report maps the views of citizens across 33 countries (including India) to take stock of 2024 and predicts how they expect the coming year, 2025 to pan out.  Indians are somewhat more cautious in making personal resolutions for 2025 (64%), compared to global citizens (75%) while Indonesia (94%), Colombia (93%) and China (93%) are most likely to make personal resolutions around specific areas.  

Prima facie, the year 2024 did not turn out well for majority of Indians with 71% claiming it to be bad for them and 61% pronouncing it to bad for their family. 

Expectations for 2025

Urban Indians provided their predictions across economy, technology, world security, environment and society 

Economy in 2025

61% Indians expect prices in the country to increase faster than people’s incomes, though India was better off and among the bottom 3 markets, the other two being China (58%) and Japan (56%). More number of global citizens were concerned (79%) about price increasing faster than their incomes. Further, more number of Indians were expecting to shell out more towards taxes (60%), inflation (61%) and interest rates (59%). There was also concern around unemployment increasing (59%) though lower than concern of global citizens (68%).

Technology in 2025

Views around AI was a paradox, with 59% Indians, expecting job losses due to AI in 2025, though 58% also expected AI to lead to new jobs in the country. And while there is expectation of more citizens leading their lives in the virtual world (59%), there is concern around personal data safety and fear of leakage (56%). Tech savvy Indians expect self driving cars to become commonplace on the streets of their town in 2025 (54%). They also expect smartphones to be banned in schools (55%) and social media ban coming for children aged below 14 years (57%). In fact, 1 in 2 Indians (54%) expect social media usage decreasing in 2025. 

World Security in 2025  

It will be a mixed bag believe Indians, 55% Indians feel nuclear weapons will be used in a conflict somewhere in the world, while 51% expect war in Ukraine and 55% expect conflicts in the middle east to end in 2025. 

Also, 53% Indians fear a rogue artificial intelligence program that can’t be shutdown to cause a significant havoc globally in 2025. 

Expectations from the Environment in 2025

Global warming would continue in 2025, with 59% urban Indians expecting the average global temperature to increase in 2025, 80% global citizens expressed their concern. Though Indians expect tighter controls by the govt around reducing carbon emissions (60%) and restrictions on how much people can drive their personal vehicles (58%). And while Indians continue to believe that parts of the country could become unliveable in 2025, there is hope for breakthrough in technology to halt climate change (57%).   

Expectations for Society in 2025

In workplaces, citizens expect pay parity for women to become a reality in 2025 with 60% Indians expecting women to be paid same as men for the same work in 2025. While 55% Indians expect it to become normal for businesses in the country to implement a four-day working week.

Further around societies, 58% Indians expect immigration levels to further increase in the country, in 2025, population size of the country to fall in 2025  (54%) and people in the country to become more tolerant of each other (56%).

Summarising on the findings of the survey, Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, “Indians display a positive outlook for 2025, with bright prospects for physical and mental wellbeing, global economy and the new year being better than 2024. Each year the year ending falls short on expectations, with a positive outlook seen for the new year. Though there is concern and fear around economic issues of further price increases, rise in taxes and interest rates in 2025. Technology too is being seen as a double-edged sword, with fear of AI taking away more new jobs, and AI adding new jobs through 2025. Concern around data privacy and fear of its misuse was dominant among Indians.  At the same time social media detox, additional controls on social media and smartphones for school children could become a reality in the new year. There is hope around the wars in Ukraine and the middle east to end in 2025. Global warming and adverse climate events, stringent govt measures in reducing carbon emissions could be the preoccupation of the government. We saw AQI levels reaching dangerous proportions in many of our cities this year. There is also concern seen around immigration.”