To ban or not to ban: Will social media curbs for children work?

India has recently joined a growing list of countries weighing restrictions on children’s access to social media.Speaking on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit last week, information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government is discussing age-based restrictions on social media platforms. The remarks follow closely after the Economic Survey flagged the need to address “digital addiction” among the young.At the state level, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala are also examining similar restrictions.

The push reflects rising concern over online safety risks and mental health challenges among children. Yet serious questions remain over whether such measures would deliver the intended results.Enforcement could prove difficult given how easily age verification can be bypassed on shared devices.

Restrictions could also drive minors toward smaller, less regulated platforms—while limiting access to learning and support resources.Australia became the first country in December 2025 to ban adolescents under 16 years from using certain social media platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook, setting a global precedent.Since then, more countries across Europe and Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia have announced plans to tighten rules. While France (under 15) and the UK (under 16) have gone farthest with one chamber of their Parliament voting in favour of the ban, others are toying with the idea.The proposed restrictions fall into the following buckets: an outright ban on social media for minors or a requirement for certain ages to obtain parental consent before opening an account.India is currently the biggest user market for many of the popular social media