India is witnessing increasing calls to restrict children's social media usage amid growing concerns about digital addiction and its impact on mental health. These concerns have spurred discussions at both state and national levels, potentially impacting millions of young users.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 addressed "digital addiction" among young users and recommended the government implement age-based limits for social media and restrict digital advertisements targeted at children. If implemented, this could significantly affect major tech companies like Meta and Google, which have a large user base in India. The survey highlighted Australia's ban on social media for those under 16, but stopped short of advocating for a similar blanket ban.
Several Indian states are actively considering measures to curb social media use by children. Three states have begun discussions on implementing regulations, potentially affecting around 12 million minors. An ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party has proposed a nationwide ban for those under 16, suggesting that individuals in this age group should not be allowed to create or maintain social media accounts. LSK Devarayalu, a lawmaker from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has stated that social media platforms should bear the responsibility of ensuring users' ages.
Karnataka Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya has also urged the government to restrict smartphones in schools to combat smartphone addiction among children. Siroya proposed declaring school campuses from kindergarten to class 10 as "Smartphone-Free Zones". He suggested promoting basic, voice-call-only feature phones to address parental safety concerns. Siroya emphasized the need for a firm, uniform central legislation to protect children, drawing attention to the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
These initiatives follow global trends in regulating children's social media use. France has already passed a bill to ban children under 15 from social media, expected to be implemented by September 2026. Countries like Malaysia, Denmark, and Norway are also exploring age-based restrictions.
India currently lacks a nationwide ban on children using social media. However, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act requires parental consent for collecting children's data and restricts targeted advertising to minors, with full implementation expected by 2027.
The government has already taken steps to address digital addiction, including initiatives like Tele-MANAS, a tele-mental health assistance network, and the SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, which offers specialized care for technology use. The Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025, also aims to address digital addiction and financial harm among youth. The Economic Survey 2025-26 suggests establishing offline youth hubs and moderated online safe spaces to provide alternatives to digital spaces. The CBSE has issued guidelines on safe internet use in schools, and the Ministry of Education's Pragyatah framework guides digital education planning with attention to screen time.
Enforcing social media bans and age restrictions presents challenges, particularly in age verification and data privacy. Cooperation from social media companies is also crucial. Despite these hurdles, the growing momentum to regulate children's social media use in India reflects a global concern for protecting young people's mental health and well-being in the digital age.