Andhra Weighs Australia-Style Social Media Ban for Under-16s
Speaking to Bloomberg at Davos, IT Minister Nara Lokesh said the state is studying age-based restrictions even as it pitches itself as a technology-friendly investment destination.
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The Andhra Pradesh government is studying a possible ban on social media access for children under 16, drawing on Australia’s age-based restrictions, state Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh said in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Lokesh said the state is examining Australia’s under-16 law, which prohibits users under that age from holding accounts on major platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and X, and places responsibility on companies to prevent account creation by minors.
Australia’s ban, enacted under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 and in force from 10 December 2025, requires platforms to take what the law describes as “reasonable steps” to block under-16 access. Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to AU$49.5 million, or roughly ₹2,800 crore. The law makes no exceptions for parental consent.
Lokesh said the Andhra Pradesh government is weighing a similar framework to address concerns around children’s emotional maturity and their exposure to online environments they may not be equipped to navigate.
He cited growing unease globally about the effects of prolonged screen time, cyberbullying and algorithm-driven content on minors.
If pursued, the move would mark the first such proactive effort by an Indian state. India currently has no federal prohibition on minors using social media platforms, leaving regulation largely to platform policies and parental supervision.
The proposal is being considered even as Andhra Pradesh positions itself as a technology-friendly state.
At Davos, Lokesh promoted what he described as the state’s “speed of doing business” and its ambition to attract global technology investment, underscoring the tension between digital growth and online safeguards.
Supporters of the idea argue that state-level rules could help curb targeted advertising to minors and encourage healthier digital habits.
Critics, however, pointed to unresolved challenges around age verification, data privacy and enforcement, issues that have already sparked pushback from technology companies in Australia following the law’s passage.
