After Andhra Pradesh set up a panel to explore a ban on social media for children under the age of 16, Goa is now mulling the same, with both states taking cues from Australia after it passed a law banning the use among minors amid growing concerns over the impact of digital platforms on their mental health.
According to a report in news agency Reuters, India remains one of the largest markets for tech giants such as Meta, YouTube and X, with a significant portion of users aged under 18.
Rohan Khaunte, Goa’s Minister for Information Technology and e-Governance, told reporters this week that the state government is studying Australia’s approach. “If possible, [we will] implement a similar ban on children below 16 for usage of social media,” Khaunte said, adding that “details will follow,” Reuters reported.
Andhra Pradesh education minister Nara Lokesh had on January 22 also signalled the government’s intent to explore the social media ban, setting up a panel of senior ministers to study global regulatory efforts and make recommendations within a month.
“A stronger legal framework may be required, and we will come up with a solution very soon,” Lokesh had said.
The Goa government has said it will consult experts before finalising any rules. However, social media regulation is in the Centre’s ambit and it is to be seen if the state governments pass special laws to circumvent it.
The developments in Goa and Andhra Pradesh could prompt wider debate in India on how best to balance children’s safety with the digital freedoms enjoyed by the youth in an increasingly connected era.
Last year, Australia became the first country to implement a blanket ban on social media use for children under the age 16, deactivating an estimated 4.7 million teen accounts in the first month, Reuters reported. Governments in France, Indonesia and Malaysia have since been watching the rollout to gauge whether similar curbs are feasible.
