Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa on Monday said that a framework will be introduced to regulate mobile phone and social media usage by children under the age of 16, PTI reported.
Speaking in the Legislative Council, the primary and secondary education minister said that while restrictions already exist, the enforcement has been weak. He added that the Congress government in the state is working on stronger guidelines in consultation with stakeholders.
Bangarappa was replying to legislators’ questions in the Council, urging the government to take stringent measures against mobile addiction among children.
The minister noted that “for the first time in India, our government has proposed in the Budget that mobile use should be banned for children below 16 years”.
On March 6, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the state government will ban the use of social media for children under the age of 16. The decision had been taken “to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive mobile and social media use”, he had said while presenting the state Budget for the financial year 2026-’27.
Siddaramaiah did not mention when the ban would take effect.
Once implemented, Karnataka will become the first state to impose such a ban.
On Monday, Bangarappa said that although there are laws prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools, they are not being followed, PTI reported.
He said that some students use mobile phones outside schools, adding that there is no proper system in place. Mobile phones, while useful for learning, have increasingly become a source of harmful content, the minister added.
The minister said that the state government is coordinating with the information technology department, which has formed a committee to examine social media practices. Detailed guidelines are being prepared, he added.
However, Bangarappa added that use of mobile phones by children cannot be completely eliminated. “We will bring a law on how to impose restrictions,” PTI quoted him as saying.
The minister added that the proposal would be placed before the House in the next session after wider consultations.
He also said that inputs would be sought from parents, experts and international organisations relating to children before the policy is finalised, the news agency reported.
In December, Australia became the first country to block social media for those under 16.
In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act requires a data fiduciary to obtain verifiable consent from a parent or lawful guardian before processing the personal data of a child.
After Siddaramaiah announced the social media ban for children under the age of 16 on March 6, the advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation said that child safety online “demands serious, evidence-based policy not headline-driven prohibitions”.
It added that the announcement raises questions about whether its implementation will require state legislation, or if it will mandate age-verification systems that “create fresh privacy risks for all users, including adults”.
The group asked if the ban would also apply to educational and informational uses of the internet.
Also read:
Social media bans won’t keep teenagers safe – Finland shows a better approach
Australia’s social media ban for underage teens, children kicks in. Will other countries follow?
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