Should India consider a social media ban for teenagers?

For a 15-year-old, social media can be a world of discovery and expression. It’s where they post their poetry, learn trending dance moves, and stay connected with their friends during exams. But it’s also the space where they constantly battle insecurities, comparing their life to picture-perfect Instagram stories. For millions of teenagers, social media isn’t just a way to stay connected; it’s a mirror that reflects their aspirations and pokes at their vulnerabilities.

This duality of social media, both empowering and potentially harmful, has often sparked global debates. Despite the concerns about teenagers’ experiences online, a report suggests that teens see the time they spend on social media in a neutral or positive light. However, 32% of teens say social media is mostly negative for people their age, compared with 24% who believe social media’s effect to be positive.

Deepannita Chakraborty, Child Psychologist and Parent Coach notes, “Excessive use of social media often leads to challenges like reduced tolerance, and low productivity, which can disrupt both social and family life.” 

It has also been linked to academic struggles, low self-esteem, and mental health issues, with many parents reporting concerns about their children’s addiction to platforms like social media reels, YouTube Shorts, and engaging with strangers online.

To protect teenagers’ mental well-being, Australia recently announced plans to ban social media access for users under 16, claiming it would protect them from the mental health risks of excessive online exposure. Under the proposal, the ban would apply to young people already using social media and compliance will be overseen by Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner. 

However, it has been reported that there will be no penalties for users but the onus will fall on tech platforms to ensure under-16s can’t access the platforms. The legislation has approved the ban with enforcement trials beginning in January 2025. The ban will be fully implemented by the end of the year and non-compliance could result in penalties of up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million). However, the law exempts educational platforms, noting the positive role technology plays in learning and creativity.

Do bans actually work? 

Psychologist Nicholas Kardaras, in his book, notes that social media platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive. Despite growing evidence of the harmful effects of excessive social media use on mental and physical health, the creators of these platforms have made no effort to change this design.

When Facebook's internal research, hidden for two years before coming to light in 2021, revealed the harmful impact of Instagram, especially on teenage girls, it showed that Instagram negatively affected their body image and promoted unrealistic beauty standards. About 32% of girls surveyed said they felt bad about their bodies, and using Instagram made them feel even worse.

At the same time, these platforms have been a source of creativity and connection. Teenagers use them to explore hobbies, build communities, and access educational content. This impact makes the prospect of banning social media in India complex.

“Bans rarely work,” says Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. “In fact, bans often make people desire what is prohibited even more. If a restriction is to be implemented in any form, it should be through self-regulation.”

Bijoor continues that parents can educate their children about the negative effects of excessive social media use, and teachers can inform their students in classrooms about its potential drawbacks. 

“A broader campaign emphasising these messages could also be beneficial. Promoting the importance of being more real and less virtual might be a more effective approach,” according to him.

Chakraborty explains that teenagers today are aware enough to navigate the pros and cons of social media. She notes that, as adults, the responsibility lies in guiding them towards healthy and responsible usage, rather than restricting access entirely.

“A blanket ban might feel like a quick fix but ignores the nuances,” comments Keren Benjamin Dias, Lead - Research & Strategy at Capital Z by White Rivers Media. She highlights how enforcement would be a “logistical nightmare” and risks severing teens from positive digital spaces like educational YouTube channels or hobby-based communities. 

In her opinion, “India needs a balanced approach with parental controls, awareness campaigns, and, most importantly, fostering alternatives like robust offline spaces and online platforms that celebrate creativity without exploitation.”

Now, the question arises – if India were to follow suit, how will it pan out? 

What if it happens in India?

If India were to adopt a similar ban, the implications would be far-reaching. However unlikely, brands might need to change their tactics. After all, social media is one of the ways for them to connect with the young audience. Naila Patel, Sr. Vice President & NCD, Mirum India believes that ensuring safe communication for teenagers online is a combined responsibility of parents, platforms, brands and teenagers themselves.

In case of a ban, she believes, “Brands will have to figure alternate routes of communication/targeting like OOH. They could also do advertising by tying up with educational institutes. This will ensure the legitimacy of the communication and will help filter out bad influence.”

On the other hand, Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer, South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar points out that education content will gain if the kids are keen and find it engaging.

"The challenge with educational content is it doesn’t inspire or make kids curious. Those who are interested will find ways to get educational information anyway," she continues.

Dias suggests a pivot to on-ground activations, such as college festivals or partnerships with educational institutions. “The energy of these gatherings with brands engaging through immersive stalls, gamified activities, and quirky contests remind me that the youth connect deeply when they experience things together.”

Additionally, digital storytelling could pivot to platforms like podcasts and niche communities where depth is the priority and not reach. 

If a ban were to happen, traditional media formats or new platforms could capitalise on the same. Mohanty notes that OTT will gain the most out of it. Additionally, she shares, "So will live streaming of sports, maybe also using search more (internet is finally a library).. the personal screen won't go away."

However, a ban could also disrupt the influencer economy, as teenagers are a significant demographic for social media influencers. “It will definitely burst the bubble of inflated influencer costs,” observes Naila Patel. She continues, “Platforms like TikTok, where a significant chunk of media spending goes, would take a hit.” 

As it goes to show, social media platforms don’t appear to be happy about Australia’s ban on social media. Meta recently accused the Australian government of rushing to introduce the ban without properly considering the evidence and voices of young people. Similarly, X’s Elon Musk criticised the ban, suggesting it was “a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians”.

While government intervention to regulate social media companies raises questions about censorship and control, it also highlights a deeper issue in the digital age – the extensive access social media platforms have to user data. Even brands capitalise on this by tracking user behaviour to deliver highly targeted advertising. A report shows that many teenagers feel they have little control over the information social media companies collect about them. About 60% of teens believe they lack control, with 40% saying they have very little control and 20% feeling they have no control at all.

With teenagers likely to fall under the spending bracket in a few years, a ban could cause hurdles for brands that track the interests and behaviours of the age group. Perhaps the answer could lie in safer surveillance.

How can teens be protected? 

Naila Patel highlights, “They need to set up individual governance boards consisting of mental health experts and communication specialists to control the messaging that goes out as advertising and marketing.”

However, a ban could reduce exposure to harmful content and encourage teenagers to engage in offline activities, from sports to arts. Without the pressure of likes and followers, Chakraborty points out, “Gen Alpha can show huge productivity and inclination towards interactive educational apps that have AI-powered learning tools. Teenagers would engage more in play-based life than phone-based life.”

On the other hand, Dias suggests that focusing on community building in marketing could be the way to go. She notes, with or without a ban, “This might be a great time to pivot from only chasing ROI (Return on Investment) to also embracing ROR (Return on Responsibility).”

Advertisers can advocate for systemic change like pushing for in-app features that prioritise mental well-being through self-led control or support anti-cyberbullying initiatives and shift communication to craft trust-first, family-centric narratives.

According to Mohanty, social media's ability to enable 'democratisation' hasn’t been used in the right way at all times. She believes that brands and advertisers are merely creating desire for their products. "What has changed is we are not spending time introducing kids to a wider variety of information sources, helping them understand that the world is more complex than it seems, more tolerance for different viewpoints – none of this responsibility can be abdicated to social media."

Mohanty comments that the best thing advertisers can do is to understand Gen Z is not a monolith and create content that builds peer pressure to conform. 

While Australia’s approach may work in their context, India’s diverse social and cultural fabric demands a nuanced strategy. There’s a need to encourage respectful conversations, promote kindness and make sure not to make fun of mental health issues while designing any marketing strategy, according to Chakraborty. 

Whether Australia’s social media ban works is unclear as of now. So far, clear stipulations by advertising bodies are already ignored without a ban. Every year, ASCI comes across advertisements that are illegal and misleading advertisements to consumers. Australian PM Albanese himself was sceptical about the ban being fully effective given that alcohol restrictions have failed to prevent underage drinking. The best way would be to promote the importance of social media in a healthy way, as per Deepannita Chakraborty. 

She shares, “Understand that banning is not the solution. You ban today, teenagers will find ways to use it tomorrow.” After all, for teenagers who enjoy sharing and learning on social media, the answer might lie in a collective effort to ensure that social media becomes a mirror that reflects positive experiences.