Karnataka Becomes First State to Propose Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Key Points

The Karnataka government has proposed banning social media use for children below the age of 16, marking the first attempt by an Indian state to impose age-based restrictions on digital platforms. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the proposal on 6 March 2026 while presenting the State Budget for 2026-27.

In his budget speech, Siddaramaiah said the decision was made “with the objective of preventing ​adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children.” Officials in Karnataka say unrestricted smartphone access has contributed to rising screen time, declining academic focus, behavioural changes and mental health challenges among adolescents. The regulations statedly aim to reduce digital distraction and safeguard their wellbeing.

The proposal comes amid increasing debate in India and globally over the effects of social media addiction on teenagers. “It is a very important issue in society,” Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said after the budget announcement. “Every family is facing this issue.”

If implemented, Karnataka would become the first state in India to introduce such restrictions. Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru – India’s tech capital – hosts major global companies including Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Dell and Google. India itself is one of the world’s largest social media markets, with around 750 million smartphones and roughly one billion internet users.

However, the proposal remains at the stage of policy intent. State officials say the government will constitute a board to examine the issue and frame an implementation framework. The committee is expected to include experts from education, medicine, technology and mental health, along with officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy. Siddaramaiah had earlier raised the issue during discussions with vice chancellors of government universities, seeking their views on the feasibility and implications of restricting social media access for children.

Authorities have not yet specified which platforms will fall under the proposed ban. In countries where similar restrictions exist, such as Australia, governments have banned minors from accessing platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X and YouTube. Experts say any regulatory framework would require clarity on which services qualify as social media, what data platforms can collect for age verification, and which entities would bear responsibility for compliance.

Policy researchers say the idea faces significant practical hurdles, pointing primarily to jurisdiction. All internet governance in India currently falls under central legislation, which could complicate the implementation of a state specific ban.

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, already contains a section dealing with children’s data. It states that data fiduciaries must obtain verifiable consent from a parent or guardian before processing the personal data of a child. The responsibility lies on platforms to ensure that only adults with authorized identification can provide consent.

How a state-level regulation will intersect with the DPDP Act remains to be seen.

See Also: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Faces Jury in High-Profile Los Angeles Trial Over Social Media Platforms Inciting Addiction and Harming Children’s Mental Health

Another challenge is that if the restriction relies on geolocation, a child’s access status could change simply by travelling across state borders. Residence based or account-based models could also face difficulties in cases of migration, interstate students or temporary stays. Further, the regulations will have to take into account loopholes that bypass the restrictions, such as shared devices, VPNs, fake profiles, etc.

Technology companies have also responded cautiously. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it would comply with social media bans where they are legally implemented but warned that blanket restrictions may push teenagers towards less regulated parts of the internet.

The company said policymakers should consider the possibility that bans could encourage young users to access platforms through unregulated or logged out experiences that bypass built in safety protections.

Rights organisations have raised additional concerns. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), a digital rights advocacy group, said that while protecting children online is important, blanket bans raise questions about privacy, enforcement and the rights of young people. IFF said it is seeking clarity from the Karnataka government on how the policy would be implemented, including whether it would require new legislation and whether platforms would have to introduce age verification systems that could create fresh privacy risks.

The foundation also warned that such restrictions could have unintended social consequences. In India, where girls and young women already face barriers to digital access, families and communities might use the ban to justify keeping girls offline permanently, deepening the existing digital gender divide.

The debate is not limited only to Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has also indicated that his government is examining a similar policy. The state is considering banning social media for children under the age of 13 and is studying different implementation models involving schools, service providers and parents.

Globally, governments have begun introducing age limits and parental consent requirements to regulate children’s access to digital platforms. Australia became the first country to ban social media for teenagers in December 2025, while several European countries are studying similar policies.

The discussion in India reflects growing concern about the social and psychological impact of digital platforms on younger users. At the same time, experts emphasise that regulating children’s internet use requires careful policy design that balances safety, privacy and access to information.

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