The proposal aims to address issues such as excessive screen time, mental health concerns and the possible impact of digital distraction on academic performance
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lakshmiprasad S
The proposal, outlined under the School Education section of the budget, aims to address issues such as excessive screen time, mental health concerns and the possible impact of digital distraction on academic performance. In his budget speech, Siddaramaiah said the government intends to prohibit social media usage among children below 16, “intending to prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children.”
The announcement comes amid increasing policy concern about smartphone and social media addiction among teenagers.
According to a senior state government official who did not want to be named, the budget at present has expressed intent, and the government will constitute a board to ensure its effective implementation.
“At the end of the day, any ban could only be strictly enforced by parents rather than the government or the companies themselves,” he added.
Policy limits
However, policy researchers say the risks associated with children’s online behaviour are more complex than a single category of platforms. Questions like children migrating to Karnataka or travelling across state borders expose the territorial limits of this idea very quickly, Garima Saxena, Programme Manager, The Dialogue, a Delhi-based think tank, told businessline. If the restriction is enforced on a geolocation basis, a child’s access status would then shift with physical location. Even residence-based or account-based models would face difficulties like migration, temporary stays, interstate students, and other mixed-jurisdiction situations.
“The guardrails would have to be substantial. At a minimum, any framework would need clarity on which services are covered, what data can and cannot be collected, who bears responsibility for compliance, etc.,” said Saxena, pointing out that companies will struggle to navigate the compliance if such a rule is implemented.
Legal hurdles
Legal experts also flagged potential challenges in implementing such a restriction at the state level. Aparajita Bharti, co-founder of policy consultancy The Quantum Hub, said internet governance largely falls under central legislation, which could make a state-specific ban difficult to enforce.
“Calling for such a ban is not that simple,” Bharti said, noting that the move could face legal scrutiny unless framed under a strong public health rationale supported by data. She also pointed to practical hurdles, including the difficulty of defining what constitutes social media and enforcing age-based restrictions when many households share devices or use tools such as VPNs.
Responding to the development, Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it would comply with social media bans where legally implemented but cautioned against policies that may push teenagers towards less regulated corners of the internet.
“Governments considering bans should be careful not to push teens toward less safe, unregulated sites, or logged out experiences that bypass important protections — like the default safeguards we offer in Instagram’s Teen Accounts,” the company said.
Karnataka has joined the global debate around concerns of social media usage among kids and teens.
AP’s proposal
Andhra Pradesh is also looking to implemet a similar ban. According to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the State Government will implement a ban on social media for children below 13 years over the next three months.
Speaking in the State Assembly in Amaravati on Friday, Naidu said discussions were underway with experts on the modalities, and a decision would be taken on a wider consensus. The feasibility of coordinated legislation with the Centre to avoid legal complications is being studied.
“Various `gate-keeping’ models are being examined to involve school administrators, service providers and parents to effectively implement the ban,’’ a senior official told businessline.
In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for teenagers, and other countries are pursuing similar plans. Indonesia said on Friday it would ban “high-risk platforms” such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, and Roblox for users under 16 starting March 28.
Published on March 6, 2026