Centre weighs graded curbs on children’s social media use, rules out blanket ban

The debate in India mirrors a growing international push to regulate children’s use of social media.

• Centre plans age-based restrictions for children on social media
• New law may group children into 8–12, 12–16, and 16–18 brackets
• Parental consent and platform safeguards being discussed

Did our AI summary help?

The Centre is reportedly not in favour of imposing a blanket ban on social media for children and is instead considering a graded regulatory framework that would impose different restrictions for various age groups below 18.

According to officials, cited in an Indian Express report, the Centre is working on a separate law to regulate children’s use of social media platforms, which could be introduced during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament following consultations with stakeholders.

Under the proposal being discussed within the government, children would be grouped into different age brackets, 8–12 years, 12–16 years, and 16–18 years, with varying levels of restrictions tailored to each category, a senior government functionary told The Indian Express.

The official said there have already been informal discussions among Cabinet ministers on the need for regulatory curbs on children’s social media usage, and there is broad consensus on adopting a balanced approach rather than strict prohibitions.

Among the measures under consideration are time-based restrictions on usage, such as limiting the number of hours children can access social media platforms or preventing log-ins during late evening or night hours.

Another government official said the proposals could include mandatory parental consent for minors’ accounts and platform-level safeguards to enforce age-based restrictions. The government is also planning to hold wider consultations before finalising the law to ensure a broader public discourse on the issue, it has been learnt from the report.

Last month, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the government was discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies as part of efforts to strengthen safeguards for young users.

The Centre’s discussions come as several state governments explore tougher restrictions on children’s access to social media.

In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced during the presentation of the state Budget for 2026-27 that the government plans to ban social media use for children under 16 in order to address the growing impact of excessive mobile phone usage on young users.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said his government is considering prohibiting social media access for children under 13 within the next 90 days, although discussions are ongoing on whether the age limit should instead be set at 16.

“These are social issues every family is facing. If children are exposed to unfiltered information through social media, it affects their mental and emotional development,” Congress leader Rizwan Arshad said while supporting the proposal in Karnataka.

However, some state leaders have acknowledged that implementing such restrictions could be challenging. Karnataka minister Santosh Lad said monitoring children’s access to social media would require cooperation from society and parents.

Technology companies have expressed concern about the possibility of multiple state-level regulations, warning that differing rules across states could complicate compliance.

A senior executive at a technology company said implementing geo-specific restrictions within India could be operationally difficult given the nature of internet connectivity.

Separately, Meta, in a statement, said while it would comply with laws wherever enforced, governments should ensure that restrictions apply uniformly across digital platforms rather than targeting a few companies.

“Governments considering bans should be careful not to push teens toward less safe, unregulated sites or logged-out experiences that lack important protections,” the company said.

Digital rights advocates have also raised concerns about blanket restrictions.

The Delhi-based Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) said social media bans could prove counterproductive if they fail to address underlying issues such as platform design that prioritises engagement over safety, weak data protection frameworks, and limited digital literacy.

The organisation also warned that restrictions framed as protection could deepen the digital gender divide in India.

The debate in India mirrors a growing international push to regulate children’s use of social media.

Australia implemented a nationwide ban on social media access for users under 16 in late 2025, while France and Greece have introduced restrictions for children under 15. Spain has mandated stricter age-verification requirements for minors.

Indonesia has also announced that children under 16 will be barred from creating accounts on high-risk social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. The regulation is scheduled to be implemented gradually beginning March 28. (AP)

Governments pushing such policies argue that increasing exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, online fraud and digital addiction poses significant risks to children’s mental health and development.

India’s Economic Survey 2025–26 also recommended exploring age-based restrictions on social media and digital advertising aimed at children, citing concerns over rising digital addiction among young users.

The Survey further suggested promoting simpler devices, such as basic phones or education-focused tablets for children, along with enforced usage limits and content filters to reduce exposure to harmful online material.