India's Karnataka signals intent to ban social media for under-16s | TechCrunch

"To prevent the adverse effects on children from the use of mobile phones, the use of social media will be prohibited for children under the age of 16. Governments across the world have been moving to restrict children's access to social media following years of concerns over how platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram affect young users and vulnerable people."

"Australia became the first country to ban social media for teenagers last December, and a slew of 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."

"The debate has been gaining traction at the national level in India, with officials in Indian states Goa and Andhra Pradesh recently saying they are studying similar restrictions. In December, the Madras High Court urged the federal government to consider Australia-style restrictions on children's social media use."

Karnataka's chief minister announced a ban on social media use for children under 16 during the state budget speech, citing concerns about adverse effects from mobile phone usage. The announcement lacks enforcement details and occurred without prior consultation with tech companies. This move aligns with a global trend, as Australia became the first country to implement such restrictions in December, followed by Indonesia's ban on high-risk platforms for users under 16 starting March 28. Malaysia is examining similar measures. Within India, states like Goa and Andhra Pradesh are studying comparable restrictions, while the Madras High Court and India's chief economic adviser have advocated for age-based social media limits.

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