Govt of Karnataka considers social media ban for children under 16

The government of Karnataka has proposed a ban on the use of social media for children under the age of 16. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while presenting the state’s annual budget.

Siddaramaiah said the move aims to address concerns around the increasing use of mobile phones by children and the possible negative effects of unrestricted digital access. He stated that the proposed measure is intended to prevent the adverse impact of rising social media usage among young users. The government has not yet specified when the ban could come into effect.

If implemented, Karnataka would become the first state in India to introduce such a restriction. The proposal comes at a time when debates around children’s online safety and digital addiction are gaining attention globally.

India is one of the largest digital markets in the world, with more than a billion internet users. The country is also a key market for major platforms owned by Meta, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The proposed move may also affect how platforms comply with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, which requires companies to obtain parental consent before collecting or processing the personal data of children.

Similar discussions are taking place in other parts of the world. Australia recently became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16, while governments in the United Kingdom, Denmark and Greece are exploring comparable measures.

Within India, other states are also examining the issue. Policymakers in Goa and Andhra Pradesh have indicated that similar restrictions could be considered in the future as governments look for ways to address the impact of social media on younger users.