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The Karnataka government signaled on Friday that it is seriously considering a crackdown on social media access for children, citing a growing wave of international precedents and local safety concerns. During a session in the Legislative Assembly, IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge revealed that the State is studying models from countries like Australia, Finland, and the UK, which have already moved toward banning or strictly regulating social media for minors.

 

The discussion was sparked by veteran Bharatiya Janata Party MLA S Suresh Kumar, who urged the government to set aside partisan bickering and tackle the "digital crisis" facing families. One other point that Kumar mentioned was regarding Australia’s move to restrict access to these sites by people under the age of 16, which highlighted issues of premature exposure to adult content and the addictive nature of such sites, which are tearing at the fabric of schools and at home. Thus, Kumar stated that if a government is not able to tackle issues such as these confronting common people in society, then democracy and the legislature lose their purpose.

 

Responding to the plea, Kharge acknowledged the gravity of the situation, noting that the state has already dipped its toes into the water with a "digital detox" initiative in partnership with Meta. According to the Minister, roughly three lakh students and one lakh teachers are already enrolled in the programme. However, he admitted that a more formal policy regarding the responsible use of AI and social media is currently on the table as the government weighs its next moves.

 

Beyond the digital realm, the debate took a sharp turn toward government accountability. He also questioned the status of the investigation commission that had been set up to investigate the Bengaluru stampede. He asked the administration to move beyond the political rhetoric that asserts "my government" and take the necessary steps to safeguard citizens from both physical and internet disasters.

 

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