Andhra Pradesh mulls social media ban for children under 16

New Delhi: In a significant policy signal aimed at protecting minors online, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has said the state government is considering restricting social media access for children below the age of 16 and is closely studying Australia’s recent move to ban under-16 users from such platforms.

Speaking to Bloomberg News on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Lokesh said the state is exploring whether a strong legal framework is needed to regulate children’s access to social media.

“As a state, we are studying Australia’s under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment,” Lokesh said. He added that he strongly believes youngsters under a certain age should not be on social media “because they don’t understand what they are seeing.”

The minister’s remarks come amid growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children’s mental health, safety and exposure to harmful content.

While India has already implemented parental controls for minors accessing social media, the Union government is yet to take a clear position on wider restrictions, even as petitions seeking tighter regulations on harmful online content continue to be filed in courts.

Reacting to Lokesh’s statement, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) National Spokesperson Deepak Reddy backed the move, calling it a timely intervention in the interest of child safety.

“Minister Nara Lokesh ji has rightly highlighted the serious concerns surrounding the impact of social media on the mental health and safety of young children,” Reddy said. “Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online.”

Reddy said the Andhra Pradesh government is examining global best practices, particularly Australia’s under-16 social media law, as part of the policy evaluation process.

He also pointed to past instances of online abuse in the state, alleging that during the previous YSRCP government, social media was misused for “brutal and derogatory attacks” against women, including women from political parties.

“Andhra Pradesh was among the first states to clamp down hard on such abuse,” he said, adding that the current initiative aligns with the same intent of tackling online toxicity. “The Telugu Desam Party stands firmly with Minister Lokesh ji in his efforts to safeguard children and promote responsible use of social media.”

The debate is also playing out internationally, with policymakers in countries including Indonesia, Denmark and Brazil considering stronger measures to rein in Big Tech platforms, which count young users as a key demographic.

The development comes at a time when Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a politically and economically pivotal state, with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the 2024 general election to help form the government in New Delhi.

Naidu, widely regarded as one of India’s most tech-forward leaders, has been pitching Andhra Pradesh as an IT and industrial hub. The state recently signed a $15 billion deal with Alphabet Inc’s Google for a data centre project.