Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Tuesday urged the Center in Parliament to consider imposing a ban on social media for children, citing global developments where several countries have moved to impose such restrictions. However, government officials noted that the Union government is not currently planning to introduce a new law to impose age-based limits on the use of social media.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Deora called for stronger safeguards to protect children from the harmful effects of digital overexposure.
“We must integrate digital literacy and mental health education into schools. Most importantly, parents must delay children’s access, they must monitor usage, and we must communicate openly with our children… As a parent of a young child, I urge the House and the government – let us act quickly and decisively to protect the future of our young people,” he said.
Despite the demand, officials at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology indicated that the Center does not support a comprehensive ban on social media for children.
“There is no such decision within [IT] The Ministry said there would be a complete ban. “We are aware of things happening around the world,” an IT Ministry official said.
The official added that no consultations have been held yet with social media intermediaries such as Meta, Google or X regarding age-based restrictions, although internal discussions have been held within the ministry.
The government is also unlikely to introduce new legislation to impose these limits. According to officials, any potential regulatory changes will be made through the existing rules governing social media platforms.
“[There will be] There is no new law for restrictions on social media based on age. Social media platforms are controlled by mediated rules of social media. Therefore, if there is any change, it will be through intermediate rules only. “There cannot be a separate law for this,” the official said.
Currently, social media platforms in India are regulated under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which mandates strict due diligence by intermediaries, including content moderation and compliance with government directives.
India’s data privacy framework already contains provisions relating to children’s use of digital platforms. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), social media platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing personal data of users under 18 years of age.
This requirement indirectly limits the use of these platforms by minors, as companies cannot collect, profile, or target ads to children’s data without parental permission.
The debate over restricting children’s access to social media has intensified, with several states in India starting to consider similar measures.
In his annual budget speech on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the state plans to impose a ban on social media use for children below the age of 16 “with the aim of preventing the harmful effects of increased mobile phone use on children”.
Andhra Pradesh also announced its intention to ban social media for children under the age of 13 within the next 90 days. Meanwhile, the Goa government is considering the possibility of imposing restrictions on users below 16 years of age.
However, officials at the Center remain unsure about how the state-level restrictions will be implemented in practice.
“We are confused as to how to do this. Because if you are in Andhra, and then suddenly move out of Andhra, can you get the account?” The official said.
This issue also found resonance in Parliament through legislative initiatives. Last month, Telugu Desam Party MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu introduced a private members’ bill titled Social Media (Age Restrictions and Online Safety).
Internationally, many countries have moved to regulate children’s access to social media platforms. At the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “join the club” as France presses ahead with plans to ban social media for children under 15.
Australia has already become the first country to impose a social media ban for users under 16, while other countries including France, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Spain and the UK are considering or preparing similar restrictions.
Another IT Ministry official, when asked about the Centre’s stance on the issue, declined to comment on possible policy changes.
“If the government is up to something, there will be a clear statement. Why the speculation?” The official said.
