Policy Debate Gains Pace Across States
A debate over restricting social media use for children under 16 is gaining traction in India, with ministers in several states saying they are examining whether a ban similar to Australia’s new law could work in the country.
Ministers in at least two southern states have said they are studying whether such a measure would be effective in keeping children away from social media. Last week, India’s Economic Survey, an annual document prepared by a team led by the chief economic adviser, recommended that the federal government consider age-based limits for children’s social media use. The survey’s recommendations are not binding, but they can influence policy discussions.
Australia recently became the first country to ban most social media platforms for children under 16. The law requires platforms to verify users’ ages and to disable accounts belonging to underage users. The move drew criticism from social media companies, which Australia’s internet regulator told the BBC last month had come to the regime “kicking and screaming – very very reluctantly.” In Europe, lawmakers in France’s lower house last week approved a bill to ban social media access for under-15s, although it still needs Senate approval, and the UK is also considering a similar step.
Moves In Andhra Pradesh And Other States
In India, LSK Devarayalu, a lawmaker from the Telugu Desam Party, which governs Andhra Pradesh and is a key part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition, introduced a private member’s bill last week seeking to bar children under 16 from using social media. As a private member’s bill, it does not represent government policy and is unlikely to become law, though it could shape parliamentary debate.
Separately, the Andhra Pradesh government has set up a group of ministers to study global regulatory models and has invited platforms including Meta, X, Google, and ShareChat for consultations. The companies have not commented on the invitation. The state’s Information Technology Minister, Nara Lokesh, wrote on X last week that children were “slipping into relentless usage” of social media, affecting their attention spans and education. He added that the government would work to make social media safer and reduce its impact, especially for women and children.
Other states have signaled interest. Goa’s Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte said the state was examining whether a ban could be implemented and that more details would follow. In Karnataka, which includes Bengaluru, the state’s IT minister Priyank Kharge told the assembly that the government was discussing responsible use of artificial intelligence and social media and referred to a “digital detox” programme involving about 300,000 students and 100,000 teachers, launched with Meta. He did not say whether legislation was under consideration or which age groups would be covered.
Enforcement And Legal Hurdles
Digital rights activist Nikhil Pahwa said enforcing state-level bans would be complex. He said companies can infer locations through IP addresses, but such systems are often inaccurate, and close state borders could create conflicts if one state imposed a ban and another did not.
He also pointed to difficulties with age verification, saying the issue is not limited to India. He said that to comply with such bans, companies would effectively need to verify every individual using each internet service. Even in Australia, some children have told the BBC they bypass the rules by using false birthdates to open accounts.
Prateek Waghre, head of programmes at the Tech Global Institute, said enforcement would depend on cooperation from platforms and intermediaries. He said location can be inferred through IP addresses by internet service providers or technology firms, but it remains unclear whether app operators would comply with such directions or challenge them in court.
Questions Over Effectiveness And Family Use Patterns
A recent study by a non-profit group that surveyed 1,277 Indian teenagers suggested that age-based limits and verification systems could face additional barriers in India’s digital environment. The study said many accounts are created with help from family members or friends and are not linked to personal email addresses, which complicates assumptions about individual ownership that underpin age checks.
While some parents have welcomed the idea of a ban in online discussions, others have said the issue runs deeper. Delhi resident Jitender Yadav, who has two daughters aged eight and four, said parents often give children phones to keep them occupied. He said he is not sure a social media ban would solve the problem and added that unless parents spend more time with their children or keep them engaged in other ways, children would find ways to get around restrictions.
Featured image credits: Easy-peasy.ai
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