Indian Lawmaker Proposes Social Media Ban for Teens Under 16 Amid Global Debate
An ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced a groundbreaking bill aimed at banning social media access for children under the age of 16. This proposal comes as India, with its massive digital footprint, joins a growing international conversation about the impact of social platforms on young people's health and safety.
Global Context and Indian Initiative
The legislation, put forward by lawmaker L.S.K. Devarayalu from the Telugu Desam Party, seeks to address concerns over digital addiction and data exploitation. India is the world's second-largest smartphone market, boasting approximately 750 million devices and over a billion internet users. Despite this vast user base, the country currently does not enforce any minimum age requirements for social media access, making it a critical growth area for platforms like Meta and YouTube.
Devarayalu's 15-page Social Media (Age Restrictions and Online Safety) Bill proposes that no individual under 16 should be permitted to create, maintain, or hold a social media account. The bill emphasizes that platforms found hosting such accounts must disable them, placing the responsibility of age verification squarely on the social media companies themselves.
International Precedents and Reactions
This move aligns India with several other nations exploring similar restrictions:
- Australia recently became the first country to implement a ban on social media for children under 16, a decision praised by parents and child advocates but criticized by tech giants and free-speech proponents.
- France's National Assembly has backed legislation to prohibit social media access for children under 15.
- Britain, Denmark, and Greece are currently studying the issue, indicating a global trend toward stricter regulations.
Major technology companies, including Meta (parent of Facebook), Alphabet (parent of YouTube), and X, have not publicly commented on the Indian proposal. However, Meta has previously expressed support for laws enabling parental oversight while cautioning that outright bans might push teenagers toward less regulated and potentially unsafe online spaces.
Economic and Strategic Concerns
Devarayalu highlighted a critical issue in his statement to Reuters: India's role as a major data producer for foreign platforms. He argued that Indian users, including children, are effectively providing vast amounts of data without compensation, which these companies use to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems. This, he contends, allows strategic and economic benefits to be reaped elsewhere, underscoring the need for protective measures.
The proposal has gained additional momentum following remarks from the government's chief economic adviser, who recently suggested that India should draft policies on age-based access limits to combat digital addiction. As a private member's bill—not introduced by a federal minister—Devarayalu's legislation is not guaranteed to become law but is likely to spark significant parliamentary debate and influence future policymaking.
Political Implications and Next Steps
Devarayalu's Telugu Desam Party governs the southern state of Andhra Pradesh and is a crucial component of Prime Minister Modi's coalition government. This political alignment could lend weight to the bill's consideration, though the Indian IT ministry has yet to respond to requests for comment on the matter.
As the global debate intensifies, India's potential move to restrict social media access for teens reflects broader concerns about:
- The psychological and physical health impacts of excessive social media use among youth.
- Data privacy and the ethical use of information generated by young users.
- The balance between protecting children and preserving digital freedoms.
With its immense user base and status as a key market for tech companies, India's approach to this issue could set a significant precedent for other nations grappling with similar challenges in the digital age.
