How mental health issues and loneliness became a pandemic in today’s generation, causes & solutions, social media & screen time

Published

6 months ago

October 31, 2025

mental health issues and loneliness became a pandemic

Loneliness and poor mental health have spread through societies in ways that look, and feel, like a pandemic. We live in a hyperconnected world, yet many people feel more isolated and distressed than before, and the effects show up in mental illness rates, physical health, and mortality.

Loneliness and social isolation are widespread, and linked to higher risks of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death. The WHO now treats loneliness as a major public health issue. World Health Organization+1
Young people, adolescents, and certain minority groups are especially affected, and rates rose sharply around the COVID-19 pandemic. PMC+1
Social media and excessive screen time are associated with worse mental health in many studies, but the relationship is complex, causal in part, and depends on how screens are used. Experimental evidence shows that reducing leisure screen time can improve adolescent mental health. PMC+1
Solutions work at many levels, from clinical therapy and digital interventions, to community rebuilding, educational programs, workplace changes, and evidence-based policy. Examples include public campaigns, school-based programs, screen-time interventions, and social prescribing. HHS.gov+1

1. The scale of the problem, the recent rise

Loneliness and mental health problems were rising before COVID-19, then the pandemic and its restrictions amplified social isolation, anxiety, and depressive symptoms for many people. Public health authorities now call social disconnection a serious health threat. The WHO highlights that around one in six people worldwide experience significant loneliness, and recent WHO analyses estimate loneliness could be linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year through its effects on physical and mental health. World Health Organization+1

In the United States, official analyses show high prevalence of loneliness and lack of social and emotional support across multiple groups, with health consequences including increased rates of mental distress. The U.S. Surgeon General and other public health bodies have labeled social disconnection an epidemic, amplified by pandemic-era isolation. HHS.gov+1

Why mention this up front? If you accept that social connection is a major determinant of population health, then rising loneliness explains a large part of the recent increase in mental health disorders.

2. How loneliness and mental health problems are linked, biologically and psychologically

Loneliness is more than feeling sad, it is a stress state with biological signatures. Chronic social isolation and perceived loneliness activate the body’s stress systems, with measurable effects:

Activation of the HPA axis, higher cortisol levels, disrupted sleep, and metabolic dysregulation, all of which worsen mood and increase disease risk.
Increased inflammatory markers, like cytokines and C-reactive protein, which are linked to depression, fatigue, and cardiovascular disease.
Changes in brain circuits that regulate reward, social cognition, and emotion, increasing risk for anxiety and depressive disorders.

A large and growing body of research links loneliness with depression and anxiety, and shows loneliness impacts physical health and mortality risk. That is why the problem is addressed as a public health priority. World Health Organization+1

3. Why, specifically, has this become so common in younger generations?

Several interacting drivers explain the high rates among young people:

Social structure changes, and accelerated lifestyle shifts
Urbanization, delayed family formation, economic insecurity, and changes in community institutions make stable, supportive social networks harder to form. These structural shifts affect all ages, but young adults often experience them most intensely. gse.harvard.edu+1
The COVID-19 shock
Lockdowns, school closures, remote work, and enforced isolation removed normal developmental, educational, and social routines, producing measurable increases in depression and anxiety especially among adolescents and young adults. Longitudinal analyses show mental health declines from pre-pandemic baselines. PMC+1
Social media norms and screen-centric socializing
Many social interactions now happen on screens, which changes how relationships form and are maintained. For some users, social media provides support, community, and identity, but for many others it increases social comparison, exposure to curated lives, cyberbullying, and perceived exclusion. Research reviews connect high social media exposure with higher risk of depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation in adolescents in particular. PMC+1
Economic and educational stressors
Rising costs, job precarity, and intense academic pressures combine with diminished social buffers to increase chronic stress, which fuels both loneliness and psychiatric symptoms. gse.harvard.edu

4. Social media and screen time, what the science actually shows

This topic is nuanced, research-heavy, and often misreported. Key points from the literature:

Correlational links are robust. Multiple cross-sectional and longitudinal studies find associations between greater screen time, especially non-school leisure screen time, and higher rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. PMC+1
Experimental evidence supports causality in part. A randomized trial that reduced leisure screen media use among adolescents found improvements in psychological symptoms, suggesting that heavy non-school screen time contributes causally to worse mental health in at least some young people. JAMA Network
Content and context matter. Passive scrolling, exposure to idealized images, cyberbullying, and late-night use that disrupts sleep are more harmful than active, social, or creative use. Screen time is not uniformly “bad,” but specific patterns and excessive use are risk factors. PMC+1
The net effect is small to moderate at population level, but important. Meta-analyses find increased odds of depression with higher screen time, especially beyond certain thresholds, and particular vulnerability for adolescents. The effect size varies across studies and depends on measurement methods. sciencedirect.com+1

5. Real world examples that illustrate the problem

Young people, pandemic era: Several cohort studies compared pre-pandemic and early pandemic mental health, showing meaningful declines in life satisfaction and increases in depression and anxiety, particularly among adolescents. This mirrors clinical demand surges for youth mental health services. PMC+1
Public health response: The U.S. Surgeon General and WHO have issued major advisories and commissions on social connection and loneliness, reflecting the scale of the problem and prompting community based solutions. HHS.gov+1
Legal and policy pressure on tech: Governments have taken notice of platform harms, such as states suing Meta over alleged harms to children, and increased calls for platform accountability for addictive design. These actions reflect concerns that social platforms can worsen youth mental health in some contexts. AP News

6. Solutions, from the individual level to society, what works according to research

The evidence supports multi-level action. Below are interventions with research support, and practical, real-world examples.

A. Clinical and individual-level interventions

Therapy and psychiatric care
Cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and evidence-based pharmacotherapy remain front-line treatments for depression and anxiety, and they are effective in reducing symptoms and restoring social functioning. Access and early treatment matter.
Example, real world: many clinics expanded teletherapy during and after the pandemic, improving access for some people. Clinical trials and meta-analyses support these interventions. PMC
Behavioral changes tied to screens and sleep
Reducing leisure screen time, especially before bed, improves sleep and can reduce depressive symptoms, according to experimental and prospective studies. Practical tips include screen-free wind-down windows, app limits, and substituting active social contact or exercise. JAMA Network+1
Social skills and re-integration programs
For people who have become socially withdrawn, graded exposure to social activities, supported group programs, and community-based reconnecting activities help rebuild networks and reduce loneliness.

B. Community-level and social interventions

Social prescribing
Health services recommend non-medical activities, such as volunteering, community groups, arts participation, or exercise programs, to improve social connection and mental health. The UK and some health systems have piloted social prescribing with promising results. WHO and national reports endorse social connection as a preventive strategy. World Health Organization+1
School-based mental health programs
Universal and targeted school programs that teach social emotional skills, resilience, and coping reduce anxiety and depression rates, and improve peer connection. Schools are a key setting because adolescence is a high-risk period. PMC
Public awareness campaigns
Campaigns that normalize help-seeking and teach bystander intervention reduce stigma, encourage early help, and can reconnect isolated people to services. Examples include national suicide prevention campaigns, and local loneliness initiatives like the Campaign to End Loneliness in the UK. campaigntoendloneliness.org+1

C. Technology design and policy solutions

Design for wellbeing
Platforms and apps can reduce addictive design patterns, introduce friction for harmful behaviors, and promote meaningful interactions over engagement metrics. Policy and regulation can incentivize these changes. Recent lawsuits and public scrutiny have pushed platforms to test safety features and age-targeted limits. AP News
Digital tools for mental health
Evidence-based digital cognitive behavioral therapy, app-based guided support, and moderated peer support communities can extend care access, though quality control and evaluation are crucial. Randomized trials show digital interventions can reduce symptoms when they are well-designed and supported. JAMA Network+1

D. Workplace and economic policies

Flexible work, community building at work
Employers that promote belonging, provide mental health benefits, and reduce isolation for remote workers see better mental health outcomes. Practical measures include regular social check-ins, mentorship programs, and access to counseling. gse.harvard.edu
Address material insecurity
Policies that reduce economic precarity, provide affordable housing and job stability, and support work-life balance reduce chronic stressors that contribute to loneliness and mental illness.

7. Practical, evidence-backed tips you can try today

Limit leisure screen time, especially night use, replace the time with social or physical activities, test whether symptoms improve over 2 to 4 weeks. Experimental evidence supports benefits in adolescents. JAMA Network
Prioritize sleep hygiene, keep screens out of the bedroom, maintain routine bed times, because sleep disruption mediates many mental health harms. BioMed Central
Cultivate one high quality relationship, even one trusted friend or family contact markedly reduces suicide risk and improves resilience. Social connection quality matters more than quantity. World Health Organization
Join a local group or volunteer, social prescribing trials show meaningful community engagement reduces loneliness and improves mood. World Health Organization
Seek professional help early, therapy and, when appropriate, medication, reduce symptom severity and improve social functioning. PMC

8. Examples of promising programs and policies

WHO Commission on Social Connection, which frames loneliness as an avoidable health issue and recommends cross-sector action to rebuild social infrastructure. World Health Organization
U.S. Surgeon General advisory on social connection, a policy-level call for community, health system, and societal changes to address the loneliness epidemic. HHS.gov
School-based screen reduction experiments, and adolescent screen-time reduction trials, provide causal evidence that reducing leisure screen use can reduce symptoms, offering a scalable intervention for families and schools. JAMA Network

9. Common objections and nuance, addressed

“Screens help me connect, so they are good”
True for many people, but the benefit depends on use. Active, meaningful interactions can be protective, while passive browsing and comparison increase risk. Balance and content matter. PMC
“Loneliness is just a feeling, not a public health problem”
The weight of evidence links loneliness to morbidity and mortality, and public health bodies treat it as a risk factor for chronic disease and poor mental health. Population-level approaches can therefore reduce large-scale harm. World Health Organization
“We cannot legislate for loneliness”
True, you cannot mandate friendships, but you can shape environments, design policy, and fund community infrastructures that make sustained connection easier. Social prescribing, school programs, and workplace policies are practical levers.

10. Final thought

We did not become isolated overnight, and reversing the trend will require coordinated action across families, schools, workplaces, platforms, communities, and governments. Individual steps matter, therapy and community programs help, and structural changes will create the conditions for sustained connection.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with loneliness, anxiety, or depression, reach out, start with a trusted person, and seek professional help. Small changes, like a daily walk with a friend, a phone-free hour to reconnect, or joining a local group, can begin to rebuild social scaffolding that protects mental health.

Key references and resources

WHO, Social isolation and loneliness, facts and guidance. World Health Organization+1
U.S. Surgeon General, Advisory on Social Connection and Public Health. HHS.gov
Santos, R. M. S., et al., Associations between screen time and mental health outcomes, 2023 systematic review. PMC
Schmidt-Persson, J., et al., Experimental trial reducing leisure screen time and improving adolescent mental health, JAMA Network Open, 2024. JAMA Network
Marciano, L., et al., Screen time and adolescents’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022. PMC
CDC, Loneliness, lack of social and emotional support, and mental health statistics, 2024 report. CDC
Gao, J., meta-analysis on screen time and depression risk, 2024. sciencedirect.com
Khalaf, A. M., et al., The impact of social media on adolescent mental health, 2023 review. PMC
Campaign to End Loneliness, facts and interventions examples. campaigntoendloneliness.org

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India’s Judicial System, Between Constitutional Promise and Ground Reality

Published

2 weeks ago

April 16, 2026

Rajdeep Dam

Indias Judicial System Between Constitutional Promise and Ground Reality 1

India’s judiciary has long been regarded as the guardian of the Constitution, a pillar meant to uphold justice, liberty, and equality. Yet, in recent years, its global standing and domestic perception have revealed a widening gap between promise and performance.

According to the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2025, India ranks 86th out of 143 countries, slipping from 79th in 2024. While some cites rankings around 108th, these typically refer to specific sub-indicators rather than the overall index. Even at 86th, the position reflects systemic challenges that demand urgent attention.

A System Under Strain

1. The Weight of 5 Crore Pending Cases

India’s courts are burdened with nearly 50 million pending cases, making judicial delay one of the most critical barriers to justice. For millions of citizens, justice delayed effectively becomes justice denied.

Civil disputes often stretch over decades, while criminal trials move at a pace that weakens deterrence and public trust.

2. Severe Shortage of Judges

India faces a severe shortage of judicial personnel, with over 5,000 vacancies across various levels of the judiciary.

Legal experts have repeatedly argued that India’s judge-to-population ratio is far below global standards. Some reform proposals, including those discussed in works like Black Justice, suggest scaling the judiciary up to 70,000 judges to meet demand.

3. Infrastructure and Technology Gaps

Despite progress through initiatives like e-courts, many lower courts still lack:

Adequate infrastructure
Digital case management systems
Efficient filing and tracking mechanisms

This uneven adoption of technology continues to slow down case resolution and limit accessibility, especially in semi-urban and rural regions.

4. Concerns Over Judicial Independence

Another growing concern is the perceived tension between the judiciary and the executive. Allegations of political pressure, delays in judicial appointments, and selective prioritization of cases have raised questions about institutional independence.

Even the perception of compromised autonomy can weaken public confidence in the justice system.

Global Comparison, Where India Stands Within South Asia

India ranks 3rd in the region, behind:

Nepal, ranked 72nd
Sri Lanka, ranked 74th

It remains ahead of:

Bangladesh, ranked 125th
Pakistan, ranked 130th

Compared to African Nations

Several African democracies outperform India on rule of law indicators:

Rwanda, 39th
Namibia, 45th
Mauritius, 47th
Senegal, 58th

These countries perform better particularly in civil justice delivery, regulatory enforcement, and fundamental rights protection, areas where India struggles.

Among G20 Economies

India falls in the lower tier of G20 nations:

Germany, 6th
United Kingdom, 15th
United States, 27th
Brazil, 78th
India, 86th
China, 92nd
Mexico, 121st

While India performs better than some emerging economies, it significantly lags behind developed democracies in judicial efficiency and institutional strength.

Breaking Down the Performance

India’s ranking reflects uneven performance across key dimensions:

Open Government, Rank 44
A relative strength, indicating transparency and public access to information
Constraints on Government Powers, Rank 60
Moderate performance, with scope for improvement
Criminal Justice, Rank 82
Affected by delays, investigation inefficiencies, and policing gaps
Civil Justice, Rank 107
One of the weakest areas, driven by backlog and slow dispute resolution
Fundamental Rights, Rank 102
Concerns around consistent enforcement and protection

This disparity shows that while administrative transparency has improved, judicial delivery remains the weakest link.

Why This Matters

Judicial inefficiency is not just a legal issue, it is an economic and social one.

Businesses face contract enforcement delays
Investors perceive higher risk
Citizens lose faith in institutions
Crime deterrence weakens

Ultimately, the justice system becomes a bottleneck in India’s development story.

The Road to Reform

Meaningful reform requires structural, technological, and cultural shifts:

1. Expanding Judicial Capacity

A substantial increase in the number of judges is essential. Without addressing capacity, no reform can sustainably reduce backlog.

2. Full-Scale Digital Transformation

From e-filing to virtual hearings and AI-assisted case management, technology must move from pilot initiatives to universal implementation.

3. Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution

Encouraging mediation and arbitration can significantly reduce court burden and provide faster resolutions.

4. Ensuring Transparency and Accountability

Institutional mechanisms for performance review, judicial conduct, and timely appointments must be strengthened to build public trust.

5. Rethinking Court Operations

Innovations such as multi-shift courts, specialized benches, and fast-track systems can accelerate case disposal.

A Defining Moment

India’s judiciary stands at a crossroads as it carries the weight of constitutional ideals, yet struggles with operational realities. The gap between the two is not irreversible, but closing it requires political will, institutional courage, and systemic reform at scale. If India aims to position itself as a global economic and democratic leader, strengthening the rule of law is not optional, it is foundational.

Because in the end, a nation’s true progress is not measured by its GDP alone, but by how swiftly and fairly it delivers justice to its people.

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The Symphony of Souls, The Eternal Darbar, When the Gods of Melody Convened in the Cosmos & Wove the Heavens

Published

3 weeks ago

April 13, 2026

Rajdeep Dam

The Symphony of Souls The Eternal Darbar When the Gods of Melody Convened in the Cosmos Wove the Heavens 1

There is a sanctuary hidden beyond the veil of the cosmos, a place where gravity surrenders to rhythm and light is born from sound. It is not a heaven built of pearl or gold, but of swara and laya a boundless, breathing architecture of pure melody. In this eternal Mehfil, time does not march; it dances. And here, the greatest architects of human emotion have gathered to sing the universe into bloom.

Imagine standing at the threshold of this celestial grandstand. The air itself hums. Imagine a realm where time holds no sway, where the skies are not made of clouds, but of woven melodies, and the air breathes with the rhythm of a billion beating hearts. There is a place beyond our mortal sight a celestial grandstand, a heavenly Mehfil where the greatest architects of Indian music gather to perform a symphony that echoes across eternity.

They say music never dies, but what happens to the voices that birthed it? They ascend. And in this divine amphitheater, a reunion of unimaginable magic is taking place.

It begins with a single, luminescent note, fragile yet unbreakable. It is Lata Mangeshkar. She sits cloaked in the serenity of moonlight, her voice the silver thread that stitches the stars together. Beside her, crackling with the vibrant, uncontainable energy of a solar flare, is Asha Bhosle. Together, they are the eternal duality of the cosmos the calm and the storm, the devotion and the desire their voices intertwining to create a tapestry of infinite grace.

As their melody swells, the foundation of heaven is laid by the titans of the golden age. Mohammed Rafi breathes out, and his voice becomes the gentle, compassionate wind that cradles the soul, so pure it brings the angels to their knees. A sudden, joyous gust sweeps through it is the irrepressible spirit of Kishore Kumar, whose yodels and laughter paint the cosmic sky in wild, rebellious colors. Grounding this wildness is the sacred geometry of Manna Dey, his classical mastery building invisible temples of flawless pitch, while the towering, clarion call of Mahendra Kapoor echoes like the victorious sunrise over the horizon. Beneath them all, deep and resonant as an ancient, undisturbed ocean, rolls the majestic baritone of Hemant Kumar.

But perfection alone cannot hold the human spirit; heaven, too, needs the exquisite vulnerability of a breaking heart. From the velvet shadows steps Jagjit Singh. With a gentle strum, his voice pours out like warm, liquid amber, holding all the unspoken sorrow and longing of a thousand lifetimes. He is answered by the tender, soothing cadence of Pankaj Udhas, turning the ache of separation into a sublime, spiritual ecstasy. Through their ghazals, they remind eternity that the most beautiful part of being alive is the capacity to feel.

The cosmos demands grandeur, and so the sky splits open to the staggering, all-encompassing voice of S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. His notes cascade like a golden waterfall, vast enough to drown the galaxies, yet gentle enough to bless a single falling leaf. And weaving through this grandeur is a pulse of pure, unadulterated joy Bappi Lahiri, cloaked in his radiant aura, injecting the heavens with a synthesized, driving rhythm that makes the constellations themselves want to dance.

In that celestial mehfil, where time dissolves into a timeless symphony, a new burst of unbridled energy has ignited the stars. It is the arrival of our beloved Pancham Da, the revolutionary R.D. Burman. He steps into the spotlight, not as a calm presence, but as a whirlwind of sonic liberation. His infectious grin, wide as the horizon, promises a disruption that heaven didn’t know it needed. Clad in a shirt that seems woven from psychedelic rainbows and holding a chromatic mouth organ like a royal scepter, he is the avatar of musical rebellion. His spirit, the eternal ‘Rockstar,’ infuses the ancient echoes with pulsating beats and daring basslines, making the celestial domes tremble with a rhythm that bridges a hundred generations of youth. With a mischievous wink, he is not just part of the symphony, he is its wildly, wonderfully unpredictable heart, forever playing the melody of freedom and defining the very soul of the cosmos. He has not just joined the gathering, he has set it on fire, ensuring that every note played from this day forth carries the undeniable, effervescent magic of Pancham.

Then comes the raw, bleeding edge of passion. The skies shimmer as KK (Krishnakumar Kunnath) unleashes his spirit. His voice is a soaring comet, burning with the fierce, unfiltered urgency of youth, of first loves and final goodbyes. It is a voice that rips the heart open and pours light into the wound. Matching this primordial energy is the piercing, earth-shattering cry of Zubeen Garg, his melodies carrying the wild, untamed essence of the mountains and rivers, a folk-infused tempest that bridges the mortal earth with the divine sky.

And what holds this staggering universe of sound together? The heartbeat of the cosmos itself. Fingers moving faster than light, Zakir Hussain commands the tabla. His hands do not just play an instrument; they dictate the rotation of planets, the pulse of quasars, creating a rhythm so transcendent it weaves the living and the ascended into a single, breathing entity.

This is not just a concert but it is a confluence of immortals. They sit together some who have crossed the veil, others whose spirits simply transcend it bound by the one truth that outlives flesh and bone, Music is the soul’s native tongue.

For us, wandering the earth below, the silence they leave in our quiet moments can feel like an ache. But we are not abandoned. If you close your eyes, quiet your mind, and listen to the spaces between your own heartbeats, you will hear them. You will hear the symphony of the heavens, pouring down like rain.

They are there, keeping the universe in tune, preparing the grandest crescendo for the day we all finally come home. We will meet again, the music promises. We will meet in the melody.

The ultimate culmination of human emotion. From the classical to the contemporary, from the soulful to the spectacular, these legends sit together not as competitors, but as cosmic collaborators.

They are rehearsing for the day we all finally return home.

As the final, harmonious chord of this heavenly gathering rings out, it carries a simple, powerful promise to all of us who have ever found solace in their songs, Through the music, we are never truly apart. Keep listening. We will meet again.

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UNESCO released AI essentials for Judges!

Published

2 months ago

March 16, 2026

Rajdeep Dam

Artificial Intelligence is already entering courtrooms. But most judges have little formal training or clear guidance. The document “AI Essentials for Judges” by UNESCO (2026) emphasizes that AI is a powerful tool to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and transparency in the judicial system. However, it must be used responsibly, with safeguards to protect confidentiality, human rights, and judicial independence. Judges and legal professionals are encouraged to adopt good practices, undergo training, and consult UNESCO’s guidelines for ethical AI use in courts.

Since 2013, UNESCO has been involved in the training of judicial actors as part of its Judges Initiative. In total, more than 36,000 judicial operators (judges, prosecutors, clerks, court officials, lawyers) from more than 160 countries have been engaged. In 2021, UNESCO continued this momentum by launching the AI & Rule of Law programme to meet a growing demand for capacity building and support on the challenges of technology in the judicial sector. UNESCO developed a Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law for the Judiciary (also available in Arabic, French, and Spanish) that serves as a foundation for its training programme around the world. – UNESCO

The document “AI Essentials for Judges” by UNESCO (2026) provides an overview of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for the judicial sector. It is designed to inform judges, prosecutors, court staff, and lawyers about AI, its uses, benefits, risks, and ethical considerations.

Below are the key points:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Technology that performs repetitive, time-consuming tasks by processing data and mimicking intelligent behavior, including reasoning, learning, and decision-making.

Generative AI (GenAI): AI that creates content (text, images, video, code) based on large datasets and user prompts.

2. Development & Use of AI in the Judicial Sector Guiding AI Development: Courts can adopt AI by creating strategies, mapping court data, digitizing documents, and collaborating with stakeholders while maintaining control over data and tools.

Applications of AI

Administrative Support: Automating routine tasks like file sorting, calendar management, and document transcription.
Document Analysis: Searching, summarizing, translating, and cross-referencing legal documents.
Decision Support: Assisting judges with data analysis, case law review, and drafting decisions. Improving
Case Management: AI can automate routine cases, reduce delays, and streamline workflows while maintaining judicial oversight.

3. Use of AI by Judges Steps Before Using AI: Judges should check institutional policies, review ethical guidelines, understand the tool, clarify liability, and invest in training. Good

Practices: Judges should exercise vigilance, safeguard confidentiality, verify AI outputs, ensure transparency, and report issues.

4. Potential Benefits for Litigants AI can improve access to justice by: Providing clear legal guidance through tools like chatbots.

Automating simple procedures to reduce costs and delays.
Simplifying court decisions with plain-language summaries.
Supporting individuals with low literacy or language barriers through tailored interfaces and translation tools.

5. Risks Confidentiality and Cybersecurity: AI can pose risks like data leaks, profiling of judges, and threats to judicial independence. Courts must regulate data access, ensure secure systems, and avoid public Wi-Fi.

Ethical and Human Rights Risks: Risks include algorithmic bias, loss of privacy, over-reliance on AI, and threats to human rights. Human rights impact assessments are essential before and after AI deployment.
AI Hallucinations: Judges must verify AI outputs against laws and case law to detect inaccuracies. AI Replacing Judges: AI cannot replace human judges due to its inability to perform nuanced legal reasoning and ethical decision-making.

6. Preventive and Corrective Actions Bar Associations: Their involvement is crucial to ensure ethical and fair use of AI in legal proceedings.

Appeal Mechanisms: Litigants must have access to human review and transparent appeal procedures for AI-based decisions. EU regulations like GDPR and the AI Act provide frameworks for such mechanisms.

The document references various UN reports and UNESCO initiatives, including the AI & Rule of Law programme, MOOCs, and toolkits to support judiciary in understanding and using AI responsibly.

Rajdeep Dam

Director,

Club for UNESCO Silchar,

Silchar, Assam, India

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