Introduction
The states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are heading towards a big policy change by announcing that they will limit the use of social media for minors. Karnataka wants to stop kids under 16 from using social media, and Andhra Pradesh is thinking about doing the same for kids under 13. A set of rules is expected to be ready in 90 days. These proposals show that policymakers are more and more worried about how too much time on social media can affect kids’ mental health, safety, and growth. If they go through with it, these two states would be the first in India to put age-based limits on how minors can use social media.
Background
In recent years, the debate over whether or not to limit kids’ access to social media has gotten more heated around the world. Digital addiction, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and poor academic performance among young users are all things that governments, teachers, and mental health professionals are seriously worried about and are constantly deliberating. The Economic Survey 2025–26 brought more attention to the issue in India by pointing out the growing problem of digital addiction among young people and suggesting that access should be limited by age and that minors should have stronger protections online.
With this in mind, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said while giving the State Budget for 2026–27 that the government wants to stop kids under 16 from using social media. The goal of the proposal is to lessen the bad effects of kids using smartphones and social media more, such as too much screen time, mental health problems, and a lack of focus on schoolwork. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said shortly after Karnataka’s announcement that his government is also planning to limit how much kids under 13 can use social media. He said that the policy framework would probably be put into place within 90 days. These changes have made the topic of children’s digital safety and responsible technology use the main focus of policy talks in India.
Key Points
- Reasons Behind the Proposal
The primary reason for this proposal is that there is growing concern about how social media use impacts children’s mental health. Policy discussions and studies show that children who spend a lot of time in front of screens are experiencing higher levels of anxiety, sleep disruption, attention issues, and lower grades.
Experts point out that many social media sites employ a variety of engaging design techniques, including endless scrolling, push notifications, and random reinforcement schedules to encourage users to consume outside content. Each of these techniques triggers dopamine release in the brain and thus creates an urge to continue using the application. Given teens’ developing impulse control, they are particularly vulnerable to these design patterns.
2. Constitutional and Legal Challenges
While the government has made efforts to regulate telecommunications and digital platforms in order to ensure children’s safety on the internet, many of these proposals have faced difficulties with both the law and the Constitution. In India, the Union Government has primary jurisdiction over both of these areas, primarily under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and its associated IT Rules. The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution clearly falls within Union List in relation to telecommunications and also the internet. As such, it is difficult to determine whether the authority of the state legislative assemblies is valid if they were to enact bans on the above platforms, as their authority is limited to the areas assigned to them by the Constitution.
Therefore, advocates for digital rights assert that blanket bans raise questions as to the applicability of the law and the validity of the action taken by the legislature. They also assert that these blanket bans violate children’s right to free speech and expression as set forth in Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India and that they violate their right to information.
3. Enforcement and Practical Difficulties
A major challenge is how to actually put these bans into action. To use age-based restrictions, we need reliable ways to check people’s ages. This might be hard to do well without help from tech companies. Some critics say that strict bans could make it harder to keep an eye on minors by pushing them toward unregulated or unsafe online spaces.
Global Context
A rise in concern for the mental health of children due to issues like the rise of cyberbullying, issues with addiction and other circumstances, as well as children being exposed to inappropriate material online, has led to many countries around the world now taking action by implementing restrictions on the ability of children to use social media. To that end, in 2025, Australia became the first country globally (i.e. on a national basis) to put in place restrictions on their citizens under 16 years of age from using social media (i.e. being able to access social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X) from that date forward. Similar to Australia, other countries where the majority of users fall in the range of 13 to 16 years of age (e.g. France, Denmark, Malaysia, Slovenia, Spain and Greece) are also beginning to establish or implement rules and regulations concerning the use of social media by children in their respective jurisdictions. The above represents a significant shift in the overall regulation of children’s internet access/activities globally and how social media companies are being held accountable for their actions with respect to children.
Recent Developments
There has been much controversy over the proposed bans. Many policymakers, technology companies, and civil society organisations are debating whether these proposed bans will help to reduce the negative effects of excessive use of social media on children. Some parents and experts want tighter restrictions on social media usage to protect their children, while others believe that the problem of digital addiction cannot be solved by simply banning digital media completely.Tech companies claim that strict prohibitions could encourage teens to use unregulated digital platforms with inadequate safety and moderation measures. However, policy experts have recommended that governments take a balanced approach that incorporates parental controls, digital literacy initiatives, age-based safeguards, and increased platform accountability.
Conclusion
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh’s actions are a major step forward in India’s evolving conversation about children’s digital safety and responsible technology use. The state legislatures have highlighted increasing concerns regarding digital addictions through proposed laws regulating social media based on a user’s age; however, they also present difficulties with enforcing such laws as well as balancing the rights of the user versus the need to regulate their activity online.
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WRITTEN BY: KISLAY RAJ
