Andhra Pradesh could soon become the testing ground for one of the most significant digital regulations in India. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, IT Minister Nara Lokesh revealed that the state is seriously weighing a ban on social media for children under the age of 16. The proposal, which Lokesh discussed with Bloomberg, takes direct inspiration from Australia’s recent landmark legislation.
Lokesh argued that younger users often lack the emotional and mental maturity to navigate the complexities of the internet. "Youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms," he asserted, suggesting that the "toxic" nature of certain content necessitates a strong legal framework to protect minors.
The Andhra Pradesh government has appointed a committee comprising a group of ministers to study the possibility of restricting or banning access to certain social media platforms for children below 16 years, state Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said on Friday.
She also said the Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by IT Minister Nara Lokesh and comprising members, including herself and Health Minister Satya Kumar, will study models being followed by various state governments and countries so that the best model can be adopted.
The move follows in the footsteps of the Australian government under Anthony Albanese, which recently barred children under 16 from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. If Andhra Pradesh moves forward with this, it would be the first Indian state to jump from discussing the "negatives of the internet" to actually implementing an age-based cutoff.
The proposal has already found strong backing within the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). National spokesperson Deepak Reddy pointed out that social media has been frequently misused in the state and insisted that the ban shouldn't be viewed as government overreach. Instead, he framed it as a "protective shield" for children who aren't yet equipped to handle online hostility or harmful content.
The timing of Lokesh’s comments is particularly interesting given that the judiciary has already been nudging the country in this direction. Last year, the Madras High Court explicitly suggested that the Centre look into Australia’s model. While the Union government has been cautious, Lokesh’s signal from Davos suggests that Andhra Pradesh might not wait for New Delhi to act, potentially setting off a massive nationwide debate on digital parenting and state intervention.
Also read: YSRCP slams Naidu over unfulfilled promises
Follow us
