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As part of the state’s Rs 4.48 lakh crore Budget 2026-27, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced a proposal to ban the use of social media by children below 16 years of age.
Government sources had already indicated in recent weeks that Karnataka was drafting a comprehensive digital safety policy for children, consulting experts from the education, mental health and technology sectors.
Today, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah proposed to ban the use of social media for children below 16 years of age in the state. The announcement was made when he presented his 17th state budget for 2026-27.
Siddaramaiah said, “With the aim of preventing the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, the use of social media will be banned for children below 16 years of age.”
The move puts Karnataka in line with countries like Australia and parts of Europe that have imposed strict age-based access limits, raising questions about feasibility, enforcement and the balance between security and digital rights.
As part of the state’s Rs 4.48 lakh crore 2026-27 budget, he announced a proposal to ban the use of social media by children below 16 years of age. The policy, unprecedented in India, puts the southern tech powerhouse among a small group of governments that are rethinking how young people access digital platforms.
Government sources had already indicated in recent weeks that Karnataka was drafting a comprehensive digital safety policy for children, consulting experts from the education, mental health and technology sectors.
Internationally, this fits into a broader pattern. Australia late last year became the first country to impose a federal ban on social media accounts for people under 16, forcing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube to block young users or face hefty fines. European countries – from France to Germany – are debating similar minimum age laws or digital curfews aimed at protecting minors online.
Is social media harming children?
Data from large international studies provide context to the concerns driving this move. A 2025 survey involving approximately 280,000 adolescents in Europe and North America found that more than one in ten adolescents displayed compulsive social media use patterns associated with negative outcomes such as anxiety and sleep disturbance.
ICMR found that more than 28% of adolescents aged 13-16 reported anxiety or sleep disturbances related to social media use. International research echoes similar trends: Health Behavior Surveys in school-aged children in 40 countries report that one in ten teens exhibits patterns of compulsive social media use that impact mental health.
The Karnataka government has cited these trends, along with reports of increasing distractions in classrooms and growing parental concern, as key drivers for the ban. Experts emphasize that early adolescence is a sensitive stage for self-identity and cognitive development, making it an important period for managing online pressures.
What are the benefits of social media restrictions?
Proponents have drafted the proposal as a protective measure. They argue that limiting access to middle adolescence:
• Reduce exposure to harmful materials. Young children are often exposed to misleading, violent or age-inappropriate content which can increase distress and confusion.
• Improvement in mental health. Even moderate research suggests that young teens may be particularly vulnerable to anxiety and low self-esteem associated with online social comparison.
• Regain attention and focus. As academic demands intensify, many people worry that constant notifications and social stimulation reduce study and sleep time.
For parents who have seen kids scrolling through feeds late at night, the promise of digital relief is tempting.
This is where policy ambition may collide with reality. Governments around the world have imposed age restrictions, but none have fully solved the problem of relying on platforms to verify a user’s age without any identity checks or voluntarily imposing limits.
Australia recently implemented a nationwide under-16 access ban, forcing platforms to verify age or face fines. But compliance has been uneven and legal challenges remain persistent.
Critics argue that children can simply lie about their age, use shared accounts, or adopt virtual private networks and other solutions, making the law symbolic.
There is also a question of constitutional rights. Internet regulation in India is largely a federal matter, and state-level restrictions can be challenged in court as exceeding legislative power.
How possible is it to enforce restrictions on social media?
Enforcing the ban presents significant challenges. Platforms will require strong age-verification systems, yet children can easily bypass restrictions by using false credentials or shared accounts. Australia’s under-16 social media ban, implemented in 2025, has faced compliance problems, with platforms reporting difficulties verifying the age of users without intrusive identity checks.
Legal experts also note that Internet regulation in India falls primarily under federal jurisdiction. A state-level ban may face judicial scrutiny over the constitutional right, potentially delaying or limiting its implementation.
While the ban addresses serious concerns, experts argue that enforcement alone is inadequate. Digital literacy programs, parental guidance, and platform design changes can provide a more sustainable approach to safe social media use.
Karnataka’s policy will serve as a high-profile experiment in India to test whether regulation can shape children’s online habits in an increasingly digital society. Its success will likely depend on balancing practical enforcement with education, while keeping children’s rights and welfare at the centre.
March 06, 2026, 12:44 IST
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