Karnataka Moves to Restrict Social Media Access for Kids Under 16

The Karnataka government has suggested a ban on social media use for minors under the age of sixteen in an effort to address the rising worries about children's digital addiction and excessive screen time. The chief minister of the state, Siddaramaiah, made the announcement when presenting the budget.

He said that the goal is to combat the increasing epidemic of digital addiction. To mitigate the negative impacts of rising mobile phone use, the CM announced that minors under the age of sixteen will no longer have access to social media. The ban's stated goal is to curb the detrimental effects of excessive cell phone use on children.

Why Karnataka Government Opted for this Move?

The decision is made in response to the growing number of concerns voiced by lawmakers regarding the effects of social media and cell phones on the development, conduct, and health of youngsters. Prior to this, the government of Karnataka was researching worldwide models of social media age limitations. Following his meeting with the Karnataka State Higher Education Council's vice chancellors last month, Siddaramaiah announced that the state government was researching international initiatives with a similar focus.

He went on to say that before settling on a plan to impose similar limitations in Karnataka, the state would research these international models. Several governments are currently considering implementing age limitations on social media use, so this move couldn't come at a worse moment. Andhra Pradesh's administration hinted in January that it was thinking about enacting tougher rules to restrict social media use by children.

Under the leadership of state IT minister Nara Lokesh, a panel of ministers was formed by the state to assess the current social media legislation and to investigate potential regulatory actions. Information technology minister Rohan Khaunte of Goa also mentioned last month that the state government was looking at ways to limit social media use by youngsters under the age of 16.

Many Nations Opting For Social Media Ban

The increasing demand for age-based restrictions on social media usage is consistent with the broader global initiative to mitigate the negative effects of social media on the health and safety of children. Australia made history in December 2025 when it banned social media use by minors under the age of 16. There has been mounting evidence that young people's mental health may be negatively impacted by social media's addictive nature.

Further, social media's algorithm-driven recommendations, and exposure to harmful or violent content, prompting numerous European and Asian governments to introduce or consider comparable regulations. Some nations are considering passing laws that would make it harder for minors to use social media or that would need parents to provide their consent before a child can create an account. These nations include the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Germany, and Greece.

At least 13 years old is the minimum age to sign up for most social media sites. But despite this, a large number of underage users enroll by providing false information about their age. The detrimental impacts of social media can affect even older adolescents, according to multiple research studies.