Social Media Ban: Hours after the Karnataka government announced a complete ban on social media usage for children below 16 years of age, Andhra Pradesh also declared similar action in the coming 90 days, in an attempt to protect youngsters from social media addiction. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said social media will be prohibited for children below 13 years of age, within the next 90 days, in the state.
Naidu, while addressing the assembly, said the government is discussing whether to extend this ban to children between 13 and 16 years of age. "Definitely, we will make sure that within 90 days those below 13 years of age are not able to use social media," said Naidu. The CM said his government will take a call on banning social media for teenagers between 13 and 16 years.
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Karnataka Bans Social Media For Children
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while presenting the state budget for FY 2026-27, announced a complete ban on social media usage for children below 16 years of age. He said the measure is aimed at preventing the adverse effects of increased mobile phone usage by minors, which could lead to negative psychological and social impacts on the younger generation.
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Why You Should Keep Your Children Away From Social Media?
The addiction to social media or smartphones has become a big issue across the globe, which is adversely impacting children. The excess usage of social media has become a big threat to the mental, physical and emotional development of children. The usage of social media disturbs their sleep and distracts them from studying. Social media exposes children to cyberbullying, inappropriate content and online predators. Excessive screen time causes eye problems, obesity and lack of physical activity, triggering worry among parents. A report by the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) suggested that more than 57 per cent of children in the age group of 14-16 use smartphones for educational purposes in India, while 76 per cent use them for social media.
(With PTI inputs)