Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state government is considering steps to restrict access to social media platforms for children below the age of 13. Speaking in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Naidu said the government is working on a policy regarding the same, that could be rolled out within the next 90 days.
He added that the government is also holding discussions on possible regulations for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16, and a decision on that age group will be taken after wider consultations. CM Naidu said the state government is committed to ensuring that children are not negatively affected by social media and assured that steps will be taken to safeguard their well-being.
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This comes after neighbouring state Karnataka moved to restrict social media use for minors under 16, marking the first such step in India to regulate young users’ online activity. The decision was announced amid rising concerns over children’s excessive screen time and exposure to unfiltered content.
“To protect children from the negative impacts of rising mobile and internet use, social media access will be restricted for those under 16,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced during his annual budget address on Friday. The state has not yet specified when the ban will officially start.
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In response, Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh took a jibe at his Karnataka counterparts, writing a message on X, saying, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Glad to see Karnataka considering restrictions on social media for those under 16 – an idea we had proposed earlier in Andhra Pradesh to protect young minds from the darker side of the digital world. Sometimes good ideas travel fast.”
Meanwhile, other states in India are also beginning to examine restrictions for young users. Goa’s IT minister confirmed discussions on a potential age-based restriction earlier this year. Nationally, India’s chief economic adviser has also called for age-specific limits to curb digital addiction, a move that has received broad support, as per a report by Reuters.
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Even globally, the debate over children and social media is gaining momentum. Australia became the first country to prohibit social media for kids in December, while countries like the UK, Denmark, and Greece are also exploring similar measures.
(With Reuters inputs)