Karnataka Government proposes Ban on Social Media Use by Children Under 16

The Karnataka government has announced plans to prohibit children below 16 years from using social media platforms, unveiling the proposal in the State’s 2026–27 Budget. The move is aimed at curbing the harmful effects of excessive mobile and social media exposure among minors, signalling a stricter regulatory approach that could significantly reshape how digital platforms interact with young users in the State.

The proposal forms part of the State’s broader strategy to safeguard children from the growing influence of mobile devices and online platforms. While India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, already requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before processing a child’s personal data, Karnataka’s plan goes a step further by proposing a direct prohibition on social media access for users under 16.

Under the existing framework, online platforms must adopt technical measures to confirm parental consent and verify the identity of the consenting adult through reliable credentials such as government-recognised identity systems. The State’s proposal, therefore, introduces a stricter policy layer that could require platforms to implement more robust age-verification mechanisms to ensure compliance.

Announcing the policy during the budget presentation, the State government emphasised that the restriction is intended to protect young users from the adverse psychological and behavioural effects linked to prolonged online exposure. The budget document states, “With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16.” 

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