Social media ban for children

NEWS: Karnataka plans to ban social media for children under 16, and Andhra Pradesh for those under 13

Significance of Age-based Bans

  • Protecting child mental healthà Concerns about digital addiction, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful online content.
  • Excessive screen time: Uncontrolled smartphone and social media use affects children’s cognitive and social development.
  • Promoting healthier lifestylesàComplementary initiatives encourage reading and offline activities among school children.

Challenges

  • Regulating the internet is exclusively the Union government's domain under the Information Technology Act, 2000 raising constitutional and legal hurdles.
  • Age verification and monitoring of users remain challenging without robust age-verification tools and strict compliance from platforms.
  • Bans could push minors toward less regulated or unsafe online spaces.

Other nations with similar restrictions

  • Australiaà became the world's first country to implement a nationwide social media ban for children under 16 in late 2025.

Spainà mandated age verification for minors under 16

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