India’s Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

The southern Indian state of Karnataka, which is home to the technology hub of Bengaluru, has announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16. The decision makes it the first state in India to take such action as global concerns grow over children’s use of digital platforms.

The move comes as worries increase about social media addiction among young people and their exposure to unrestricted internet content. These concerns have sparked a global discussion about protecting minors online. In December, Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children. Other countries, including United Kingdom, Denmark, and Greece, are also reviewing similar measures.

Announcing the decision during his annual budget speech, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the ban aims to reduce the harmful effects of increasing mobile phone use among children. However, he did not provide details about when the restriction will come into effect.

India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market, with around 750 million devices and about one billion internet users. The country is also the largest market for Meta, which owns popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

According to a 2019–20 survey by India’s federal health ministry, less than one-quarter of Karnataka’s population is under the age of 15. The state has an estimated population of 67.6 million, based on a 2025 presentation by the government think tank NITI Aayog.

Bengaluru, often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley, hosts many major global technology companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Dell, and Google.

Meanwhile, neighboring states are also considering similar steps. The IT minister of Goa said in January that the state is reviewing a possible ban, while a lawmaker in Andhra Pradesh proposed a bill aimed at limiting social media use among children.

India’s chief economic adviser has also suggested that New Delhi should introduce nationwide policies to control digital addiction through age-based access limits. The proposal has received broad support.

However, some activists and technology experts believe strict age-based bans may not be fully effective. They argue that children could bypass restrictions by using false identification and instead recommend programs that help parents and children develop healthier and safer social media habits.