The Karnataka government has announced plans to ban social media for children under 16, citing concerns over mobile usage's adverse effects, though no timeline was provided and legal experts warn of constitutional and practical challenges.
Globally, there is a significant push to restrict children's social media access, with countries like Australia, Indonesia, France, and the UK implementing or proposing various age-based bans to combat issues like addiction, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content.
The Union IT minister also noted that the Indian central government is discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies and considering stricter oversight of manipulated content like deepfakes.
Main topics: Karnataka's proposed social media ban for minors, global trends in youth social media restrictions, and central government discussions on online regulation.
The Karnataka government on Friday announced plans to ban the use of social media for children below the age of 16. Chief minister Siddaramaiah made the announcement in the assembly while presenting the state budget.
Siddaramaiah did not provide a timeline for when the ban would come into effect. Legal experts have already cautioned that the move could face constitutional as well as practical challenges. Regulation of online platforms largely falls within the domain of the central government, which may complicate enforcement by a state.
"With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social â media will be âbanned for children under the age of 16," he said.
At the India AI Impact Summit, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that the government is currently discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies. Vaishnaw also indicated that the Centre is looking at stricter oversight of manipulated online content, including deepfakes.
Other states, such as Andhra Pradesh and Goa, have also explored similar restrictions.
Global push to limit childrenâs social media use
Governments around the world are increasingly considering restrictions on young peopleâs access to social media. Concerns have been growing over the past few years about the impact platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram can have on children and vulnerable users.
Australia: In December last year, Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media access for teenagers. Ten of the largest platforms were ordered to block underage users or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
While the move drew criticism from technology companies and free speech advocates, it was welcomed by many parents and child-protection groups.
Indonesia: On Friday, Indonesia announced that it will restrict social media access for children under 16, making it the latest country to install online guardrails to reduce the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
"We realise this may cause discomfort in the beginning. Children may complain, and parents may be confused dealing with their complaints,â said Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's communications and digital minister.
"Our children are facing risks, from porn, cyberbullying, and online fraud to, most importantly, addiction," she said, adding that âIndonesia will be the first non-Western country to impose such restrictions.
Malaysia: Neighbour Malaysia has also signalled similar plans. In November last year, the government announced that social media platforms would be banned for users under the age of 16 starting in 2026.
France: In France, lawmakers approved a bill banning social media access for children under the age of 15. The legislation was passed a month after Australiaâs ban and is expected to take effect in September 2026.
The bill also prohibits the use of mobile phones in high schools. France had earlier introduced a nationwide rule banning mobile phone use in all primary and middle schools.
UK: In the United Kingdom, the government is considering an Australia-style ban for children under the age of 16. The proposal could be introduced as early as this year.
Authorities are also looking at closing regulatory loopholes that currently leave some AI chatbots outside existing online safety rules.
Germany: Political leaders in Germany have backed a proposal to ban social media use for children under 14. The motion also calls for stricter age-verification systems for teenagers.
However, implementing the rules may be complex because media regulation in Germany is handled at the state level, meaning all states would need to agree on common standards.
Portugal: In Portugal, parliament approved a bill in mid-February requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to use social media. Parents will provide approval through a public digital identification system called the Digital Mobile Key (DMK).
The system will also help enforce an existing ban preventing children under 13 from accessing social media platforms, video- and image-sharing services, or online betting sites.
Technology companies will be required to implement age-verification systems that are compatible with the DMK.
Turkey: Turkey is also laying the groundwork for such a rule with a parliamentary report recommending a wide range of actions, including age verification and stronger content filtering.
The proposals also suggest removing harmful content without prior notice and monitoring childrenâs video games or AI-enabled toys for potentially harmful material.
Several other European countries are also exploring similar policies. Governments in Spain, Greece, and Slovenia have said they are working on possible social media restrictions for minors.
What do experts say?
The growing number of proposals has sparked debate among policymakers, technology companies, and child-safety advocates.
At the India AI Impact Summit, UNICEF global innovation director Thomas Davin said a blanket ban on children accessing social media may not work in every country. According to Davin, the success of such policies depends on the development levels and socio-economic conditions of each country.
He noted that children in many developing countries â including India â need access to digital tools, AI models, and online platforms for education and economic opportunity.
Davin also stressed the need for stronger accountability from technology companies when deploying AI systems.
"Parents have the right to go under the hood of a system to see how it was built if their child is harmed," he stressed.
Some activists and technology experts responding to Karnatakaâs proposed ban also argued that governments should focus on helping families build healthier digital habits instead of relying only on restrictions.
They warned that strict age-based bans may be difficult to enforce because children can bypass them using fake identification or alternative accounts.
Meanwhile, social media company Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) also cautioned that poorly designed bans could push teenagers towards less regulated platforms.
"Weâll comply with social media bans where they are enforced, but with teens using 40 apps weekly, targeting a handful of companies wonât keep them safe. Bans should apply equally across the many apps teens use," Meta said in a statement.
The company also warned that governments must ensure such policies do not drive young users towards unsafe websites or logged-out experiences that bypass safety protections.
Legal experts added that any ban would ultimately need to pass the constitutional test of reasonableness before it can be implemented.
Siddaramaiah did not provide a timeline for when the ban would come into effect. Legal experts have already cautioned that the move could face constitutional as well as practical challenges. Regulation of online platforms largely falls within the domain of the central government, which may complicate enforcement by a state.
"With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social â media will be âbanned for children under the age of 16," he said.
At the India AI Impact Summit, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that the government is currently discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies. Vaishnaw also indicated that the Centre is looking at stricter oversight of manipulated online content, including deepfakes.
Other states, such as Andhra Pradesh and Goa, have also explored similar restrictions.
Global push to limit childrenâs social media use
Governments around the world are increasingly considering restrictions on young peopleâs access to social media. Concerns have been growing over the past few years about the impact platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram can have on children and vulnerable users.
Australia: In December last year, Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media access for teenagers. Ten of the largest platforms were ordered to block underage users or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
While the move drew criticism from technology companies and free speech advocates, it was welcomed by many parents and child-protection groups.
Indonesia: On Friday, Indonesia announced that it will restrict social media access for children under 16, making it the latest country to install online guardrails to reduce the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
"We realise this may cause discomfort in the beginning. Children may complain, and parents may be confused dealing with their complaints,â said Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's communications and digital minister.
"Our children are facing risks, from porn, cyberbullying, and online fraud to, most importantly, addiction," she said, adding that âIndonesia will be the first non-Western country to impose such restrictions.
Malaysia: Neighbour Malaysia has also signalled similar plans. In November last year, the government announced that social media platforms would be banned for users under the age of 16 starting in 2026.
France: In France, lawmakers approved a bill banning social media access for children under the age of 15. The legislation was passed a month after Australiaâs ban and is expected to take effect in September 2026.
The bill also prohibits the use of mobile phones in high schools. France had earlier introduced a nationwide rule banning mobile phone use in all primary and middle schools.
UK: In the United Kingdom, the government is considering an Australia-style ban for children under the age of 16. The proposal could be introduced as early as this year.
Authorities are also looking at closing regulatory loopholes that currently leave some AI chatbots outside existing online safety rules.
Germany: Political leaders in Germany have backed a proposal to ban social media use for children under 14. The motion also calls for stricter age-verification systems for teenagers.
However, implementing the rules may be complex because media regulation in Germany is handled at the state level, meaning all states would need to agree on common standards.
Portugal: In Portugal, parliament approved a bill in mid-February requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to use social media. Parents will provide approval through a public digital identification system called the Digital Mobile Key (DMK).
The system will also help enforce an existing ban preventing children under 13 from accessing social media platforms, video- and image-sharing services, or online betting sites.
Technology companies will be required to implement age-verification systems that are compatible with the DMK.
Turkey: Turkey is also laying the groundwork for such a rule with a parliamentary report recommending a wide range of actions, including age verification and stronger content filtering.
The proposals also suggest removing harmful content without prior notice and monitoring childrenâs video games or AI-enabled toys for potentially harmful material.
Several other European countries are also exploring similar policies. Governments in Spain, Greece, and Slovenia have said they are working on possible social media restrictions for minors.
What do experts say?
The growing number of proposals has sparked debate among policymakers, technology companies, and child-safety advocates.
At the India AI Impact Summit, UNICEF global innovation director Thomas Davin said a blanket ban on children accessing social media may not work in every country. According to Davin, the success of such policies depends on the development levels and socio-economic conditions of each country.
He noted that children in many developing countries â including India â need access to digital tools, AI models, and online platforms for education and economic opportunity.
Davin also stressed the need for stronger accountability from technology companies when deploying AI systems.
"Parents have the right to go under the hood of a system to see how it was built if their child is harmed," he stressed.
Some activists and technology experts responding to Karnatakaâs proposed ban also argued that governments should focus on helping families build healthier digital habits instead of relying only on restrictions.
They warned that strict age-based bans may be difficult to enforce because children can bypass them using fake identification or alternative accounts.
Meanwhile, social media company Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) also cautioned that poorly designed bans could push teenagers towards less regulated platforms.
"Weâll comply with social media bans where they are enforced, but with teens using 40 apps weekly, targeting a handful of companies wonât keep them safe. Bans should apply equally across the many apps teens use," Meta said in a statement.
The company also warned that governments must ensure such policies do not drive young users towards unsafe websites or logged-out experiences that bypass safety protections.
Legal experts added that any ban would ultimately need to pass the constitutional test of reasonableness before it can be implemented.
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