Karnataka Announces Ban on Social Media for Children Under-16

Karnataka became the first Indian state to announce a complete ban on social media use for children under 16.
Andhra Pradesh and Goa are contemplating similar restrictions on children’s access to social media.
Federal Issue: Union List Entry 31 assigns telecommunications and the internet to the Union government, potentially overriding conflicting state bans.

Global Precedent: Australia became the first country to enforce a nationwide social media ban for children under 16 years.

Algorithmic Addiction: Infinite-scrolling algorithms trigger dopamine reinforcement loops, reducing attention spans and fuelling addiction among children.
Cyberbullying Harm: Cyberbullying on anonymous online platforms increases paediatric depression and self-harm among teenagers.
Sleep Disruption: Late-night screen exposure disrupts children’s circadian rhythms, causing chronic sleep deprivation and impaired development.

Privacy Risk: Enforcing age limits requires platforms to collect biometric and ID verification data, creating a new risk of privacy breaches and surveillance.
Platform Accountability: Social media bans allow platforms to evade responsibility for safer algorithms, shifting digital oversight to parents and authorities.
Digital Divide: A blanket ban unfairly punishes marginalised students who rely on free social platforms for peer-to-peer learning.

Definition: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, defines a child as any individual below 18 years of age.
Consent Requirement: Section 9 requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before processing minors’ personal data.
Platform Restrictions: The Act prohibits data fiduciaries from behavioural monitoring, tracking, or targeted advertising directed at minors.
Penalty Provision: It imposes financial penalties up to ₹200 crore on platforms that violate child data protection rules.

Read More > Social Media Ban: Need & Challenges

Source (RE)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Indian state first proposed a social media ban for children under 16?
Karnataka became the first Indian state to propose a complete ban on social media use for children under 16 years.

Why is the social media ban considered a federal issue in India?
Telecommunications and internet services fall under Union List Entry 31, giving the Union government authority over internet regulation.

Which country first implemented a nationwide social media ban for children under 16?
Australia became the first country to enforce a nationwide social media ban for children under 16.

How does the DPDP Act define a child in India?
The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 defines a child as any individual below 18 years of age.