In a move that could reshape digital access for minors in India, Karnataka has announced a ban on social media use for children below the age of 16. The decision, unveiled in the state budget, reflects growing global concern about the impact of excessive smartphone and social media use on young people.
Karnataka is the first in the country to introduce such a restriction. The move could encourage other Indian states to consider similar curbs.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the restriction aims to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive mobile phone and social media usage.
The government has not yet announced when the ban will come into force or how it will be implemented.
The decision comes amid an intensifying global debate about children's exposure to social media platforms.
Australia recently became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media access for children, while countries such as the UK, Denmark and Greece are also studying age-based restrictions.
In India, discussions around regulating children’s digital access have also gathered momentum in recent months.
India’s Chief Economic Adviser earlier called for national policies to introduce age-based access limits in order to tackle growing “digital addiction” among young users.
India is one of the world’s largest digital markets, making any restrictions on social media particularly significant.
Key numbers underline the scale:
Around 75 crore smartphones are in use across the country
India has roughly one billion internet users
It is the largest market globally for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp
These platforms are owned by Meta, which counts India as its biggest user base worldwide.
The ban is notable because it originates from Karnataka, the state that hosts India’s most important technology hub.
Bengaluru houses major global technology companies including Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Dell and Google, and is widely considered the centre of India’s digital economy.
Karnataka has a population of about 67.6 million. According to earlier national health surveys, less than one-quarter of the population is below the age of 15.
Karnataka’s move could trigger similar policies elsewhere.
Goa has indicated it is considering a comparable restriction on social media access for minors.
In Andhra Pradesh, a legislator has proposed a bill to regulate children’s use of social media.
If more states adopt such measures, the issue could eventually push the central government to create a nationwide framework for age-based digital access.
Not everyone is convinced that outright bans will work.
Some digital rights activists and technology experts argue that children can easily bypass age restrictions by using fake identification details.
Instead of bans, they suggest policies that focus on:
digital literacy for children
parental supervision tools
safer platform design for younger users
The debate is likely to intensify as governments worldwide grapple with balancing children’s online safety and access to the digital world.