N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, announced on Friday that the state will ban social media access for children under the age of 13, with the policy set to be implemented in phases over the next 90 days.
Speaking in the Assembly during a discussion on the financial bill, Naidu said the government is also considering extending the ban to children aged 13 to 16. The final decision on that proposal will be taken after consultations with experts. “Definitely, we will make sure that within 90 days those below 13 years of age are not able to use social media,” Naidu said.
The announcement follows a similar move by the government of Karnataka, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared a ban on social media use for children under 16 while presenting the state budget for the financial year 2026–27. He said the measure was aimed at preventing the adverse effects of excessive mobile phone use among children.
“To prevent adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16,” Siddaramaiah said.
Earlier, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Nara Lokesh, IT Minister of Andhra Pradesh, had voiced strong concerns about children’s use of social media and suggested imposing restrictions.
Separately, Naidu said the Andhra Pradesh government is preparing an action plan to regulate social media use among children. He also directed senior police officials to take strict action against the misuse of social media and to prioritise women’s safety.
Also read: Karnataka govt bans social media use for children below 16
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