Social Media: Karnataka is also considering banning the use of social media by children under the age of 16, following the example of the Australian and Goa governments. IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge gave this information in a special session of the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
As of January 31, 2026, the Karnataka government is indeed seriously mulling a ban on social media for children below the age of 16, taking cues from recent international and national trends.
Here is a summary of the key information shared by Minister Priyank Kharge and the context of the discussion in the Assembly:
The state is exploring a complete ban or strict regulation for minors under 16 to combat digital addiction and exposure to inappropriate content (including pornographic material).
Minister Priyank Kharge noted that the state is studying models from Australia (which recently implemented a similar ban), as well as Finland and the UK. Domestically, states like Andhra Pradesh and Goa are also considering similar measures.
The discussion was sparked by senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar, who highlighted that the Economic Survey 2025-26 (recently tabled in the Lok Sabha) specifically recommended age-based restrictions to protect the mental health and productivity of young Indians.
Current Initiatives: While the ban is being discussed, the Minister mentioned that the state has already launched a “Digital Detox” program (in partnership with Meta), which currently involves over 3 lakh children and 1 lakh teachers.
The government cited several critical reasons for considering such a drastic step:
Mental Health: Reducing the “digital crisis” and “sleep debt” caused by compulsive scrolling.
Safety: Preventing “premature exposure” to harmful or adult content.
Behavioral Health: Addressing the decline in academic performance and focus among students.
While the state is keen, there are jurisdictional questions. Since social media regulation typically falls under the Union Government’s domain (IT Act), Karnataka would likely need to frame its rules under “public order” or “behavioral health” necessities to make them legally binding at a state level.
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