India’s southern state of Karnataka—the home of Bengaluru, often called India’s ‘Silicon Valley’—has become the country’s first state to ban social media use for users under the age of 16. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the move on March 6, 2026, during his budget speech for the 2026–2027 fiscal year. ‘To prevent adverse effects from children’s increasing mobile phone usage, social media access will be prohibited for users under 16,’ he stated. However, he did not specify when the measure would take effect.
A growing global trend
Concerns over rising social media addiction among children and their unrestricted internet access have sparked a worldwide public debate. In December 2025, Australia became the first country to implement a nationwide ban on social media for minors. Now, Indonesia has followed suit, announcing it will prohibit social media access for children under 16 starting March 28, citing threats including online pornography, cyberbullying, internet fraud, and digital addiction.
‘Accounts belonging to children under 16 on high-risk platforms—including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Bigo Live, and Roblox—will begin to be deactivated,’ said Indonesian Communications Minister Meuthia Hafid.
Other nations and states considering similar steps
The United Kingdom, Denmark, and Greece are also examining comparable restrictions. Several other Indian states are reportedly weighing similar policies. India is one of the world’s largest social media markets: it ranks second globally for smartphone adoption—with 750 million devices—and hosts one billion internet users. For Meta, India is its largest market, with the highest number of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp users worldwide.
Karnataka has a population of 67.6 million, according to a 2025 report by India’s federal think tank NITI Aayog. Less than a quarter of its residents are under 15, based on a 2019–20 health ministry report. Bengaluru serves as the regional hub for global tech giants including Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Dell, and Google.
Neighbouring Goa is also exploring a similar ban, as confirmed in January by its Technology Minister. Around the same time, Andhra Pradesh’s minister proposed draft legislation targeting children’s social media use.