Nara Lokesh, the information technology minister for the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, has warned that trust in social media is ”eroding” and that children are spending too much time on it.
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Authorities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh are reportedly considering banning children from using social media, amid growing global concerns about online addiction and abuse.
Nara Lokesh, the IT minister for the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, has warned that trust in social media is “eroding” and that children are spending too much time on it.
The government has decided to ban children from social media, he said in a statement on social media platform X. He said authorities have ordered a study on legal tools to enforce age-appropriate access.
India, the world’s most populous country, has about one billion internet users, with all cities and 95 percent of villages connected, according to government figures.
Andhra Pradesh officials have asked major platforms including Meta, Google, X and ShareChat to discuss and evaluate “global best practices,” Lokesh said.
The move follows similar discussions in the western Indian state of Goa, where authorities were exploring the legality of a proposed social media ban for children.
Lokesh also expressed concern about women's online safety, saying many are facing "constant online abuse" and that it cannot be ignored.
The Annual Economic Survey has drawn the attention of the federal government to recommend national guidelines on children's screen time.
There has been increased global scrutiny of social media use by minors in recent times. Australia has banned access to social media, while on December 16 French lawmakers this week approved a bill to ban social media use. Several other countries, including the European Union, are considering similar measures.
