A growing conversation around restricting social media access for children under 16 is gaining traction across India, with several state leaders reviewing regulatory models adopted overseas — particularly in Australia.
Ministers from at least two southern states have indicated that they are assessing whether prohibiting minors from using social media could effectively shield children from excessive online exposure.
Adding weight to the debate, the latest Economic Survey — an annual report prepared by a team led by India’s chief economic adviser suggested that the central government explore age-based controls on children’s social media usage. While the survey does not mandate policy action, its recommendations often influence national discussions.
Australia’s Precedent Sparks Global Debate
Australia recently became the first nation to prohibit most social media platforms for users under 16. The law requires companies to verify users’ ages and deactivate accounts belonging to underage individuals.
The decision drew criticism from tech platforms. As Australia’s internet regulator told the BBC last month, companies responded to the framework "kicking and screaming - very very reluctantly".
Meanwhile, lawmakers in France have approved a bill in the lower house seeking to block social media access for children under 15; the proposal now awaits Senate approval. The United Kingdom is also evaluating similar measures.
In India, LSK Devarayalu of the Telugu Desam Party — which governs Andhra Pradesh and supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s federal coalition — introduced a private member’s bill proposing a ban on social media use for children under 16. Although such bills rarely become law, they can influence legislative debate.
Separately, the Andhra Pradesh government has formed a ministerial group to examine international regulatory models. It has also invited major technology firms, including Meta, X, Google and ShareChat, for consultations. The companies have yet to respond publicly.
State IT Minister Nara Lokesh recently wrote on X that children were "slipping into relentless usage" of social media, affecting their attention spans and academic performance.
"We will ensure social media becomes a safer space and reduce its damaging impact - especially for women and children," he added.
In Goa, Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte confirmed that authorities are studying whether such restrictions could be introduced, promising further details soon.
Similarly, Priyank Kharge, IT Minister of Karnataka — home to Bengaluru, often dubbed India’s Silicon Valley — informed the state assembly that discussions were underway on responsible artificial intelligence and social media use. He referenced a “digital detox” initiative launched in partnership with Meta, involving approximately 300,000 students and 100,000 teachers. However, he did not clarify whether legislative action was being considered.
Enforcement and Legal Hurdles
Experts caution that implementing such bans in India would be legally and technically complex.
Digital rights activist Nikhil Pahwa pointed out that enforcing state-level prohibitions could create jurisdictional conflicts. "While companies can infer users' locations through IP addresses, such systems are often inaccurate. Where state boundaries are very close, you can end up creating conflicts if one state bans social media use and another does not."
He also underscored the broader issue of age verification. "Age verification is not simple. To adhere to such bans, companies would effectively have to verify every individual using every service on the internet," Pahwa told the BBC.
Even in Australia, some minors reportedly bypass restrictions by entering false birth dates to create accounts.
According to Prateek Waghre, head of programmes at the Tech Global Institute, successful enforcement would hinge on platform cooperation.
"In theory, location can be inferred through IP addresses by internet service providers or technology companies, but whether the companies operating such apps would comply, or challenge such directions in court, is not yet clear," he says.
Broader Social Concerns
While lawmakers acknowledge the risks of excessive social media exposure, some analysts argue that a blanket ban may be too narrow a solution.
A recent survey of 1,277 Indian teenagers by a non-profit organisation found that many accounts are created with assistance from family members or friends and are often not tied to personal email addresses. This complicates assumptions of individual ownership central to age-verification systems.
Parents remain divided. Delhi resident Jitender Yadav, father of two young daughters, believes deeper issues are at play.
"Parents themselves fail to give enough time to children and hand them phones to keep them engaged - the problem starts there," he says.
"I am not sure if a social media ban will help. Because unless parents give enough time to their children or learn to keep them creatively engaged, they will always find ways to bypass such bans," he says.
As the discussion unfolds, India faces a complex balancing act — safeguarding children online while navigating legal, technological and social realities.
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