Karnataka to ban social media for users under 16, says CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 6 presented the annual state Budget, during which he announced a statewide ban on social media for users under the age of 16 years. The CM said that the ban will prevent the harmful effects of the growing mobile use and digital platforms among children. 

With this move, Karnataka becomes the first Indian state to formally bring restrictions on children’s access to social media. It has been in discussion within the Karnataka government for a couple of months as it evaluates measures to protect minors online. Previously, Andhra Pradesh and Goa have also explored similar steps. 

The decision comes amid a wider international trend, as governments consider stricter age-based regulations for social media platforms. Several countries are also debating tougher protections for young users in the online space. Australia is one of the biggest examples of banning social media usage under 16. The users under the specified age will be restricted from using digital platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and X (Twitter) in the country.

However, Aparajita Bharti, Founding Partner at the Quantum Hub aruges that "It is not clear that state governments have the legislative authority to undertake such measures." 

"A social media ban, however, is unlikely to have the desired effect in India given the high incidence of shared device usage in households."

" The government in India should take a more nuanced view of the issue as we have a huge digital divide, which often infact young people help bridge. Regulation must focus on making the entire internet safe for children rather than focusing on just one type of platforms, as AI and gaming related harms are also becoming evident," Bharti added. 

India is exploring similar limitations and age-based regulations. India’s Economic Survey 2025–26 has also highlighted concerns over the growing use of smartphones among children and how it is linked to their mental health.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, who spoke at the AI Impact Summit 2026, also acknowledged that, “This is something which has now been accepted by many countries that age-based regulation has to be there.” The Indian government is also in talks with social media platforms to examine how to bring the right regulations.