India's Andhra Pradesh mulls curbs on social media exposure for children under 16

The government of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is mulling a restriction or ban on children below 16 years of age from social media platforms, state Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said today (23 January).

This is one of the aspects that will be explored by a committee appointed by the Andhra Pradesh government to review existing laws, rules and guidelines applicable to online platforms, she told reporters in Amaravati.

The committee, comprising a group of ministers (GoM) and constituted in October 2025, will submit its report in a month, she added.

Anitha said the committee's findings will also be shared with the federal Indian government.

She said the GoM is in the process of undertaking a statistical analysis of social media cases in which children are involved either as abusers or as victims. 

Besides, the state government has also roped in NGOs to study the psychological and behavioural patterns emerging in children under 16.

The group has been tasked with reviewing different regulatory approaches adopted both within India and internationally to identify a suitable framework that could be implemented in the state.

Referring to global developments, Anitha pointed to Australia's recent legislation that proposes fixing 16 as the minimum age for social media use and places responsibility on platforms to enforce the rule.

"Not only the Australian model, but we are studying various models being implemented in the entire country and also worldwide. We will get a report on how to control social media abuse and also how far the state can implement it," she said. 

The minister added that the focus of the entire exercise is to explore practical mechanisms to regulate children's access to social media. "Either a ban or restriction. How to control it is the main task."