Karnataka plans social media ban for children under 16, says CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented Karnataka’s budget for 2026–27 in the Legislative Assembly on Friday

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said Karnataka will ban social media for young people under 16 years.

"Social media will be banned for children under the age of 16 to prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage. The ban is aimed at preventing the negative impact on children caused by increasing mobile phone usage," Siddaramaiah said.

Recently, in a meeting with Vice Chancellors, the CM had sought their opinion on banning mobile phones​ for children under 16. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge had also spoken along similar lines.

The proposal comes amid rising concerns about excessive screen time, leading to poor academic focus, behavioural changes, and mental health challenges among teenagers.

Siddaramaiah on Friday tabled the 2026-27 State Budget, focusing on several developmental projects and new initiatives aimed at the overall growth of the state.

The Andhra Pradesh government ahd recently  indicated that it is considering strict regulations to limit children's access to social media platforms. The Andhra Pradesh government has already constituted a Group of Ministers, headed by minister Nara Lokesh, to review existing laws governing social media.

Which countries have curbed children's social media access?

In December last year, Australia became the world’s first country to ban social media access for children under 16, restricting them from platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, operated by Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms.

United Kingdom is considering an Australia-style ban on social media and stricter safety rules for AI chatbots for children under 16 as early as this year, Technology Minister Liz Kendall said.

In China, the country’s cyberspace regulator has introduced a “minor mode” system that enforces device-level restrictions and app-specific rules, limiting screen time for children based on their age.

In Denmark, the government said in November it would ban social media for children under 15, while allowing parents to grant access to certain platforms for children as young as 13.

In France, the National Assembly of France approved legislation in January to ban children under 15 from social media. The bill must still pass the French Senate before a final vote in the lower house.

In Germany, minors aged 13 to 16 can use social media only with parental consent, though child protection advocates argue the safeguards remain inadequate.

Meanwhile, Greece is “very close” to announcing a ban on social media for children under 15, according to a senior government source quoted by Reuters on February 3.