Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh announced a ban on social media use by children under 16 and below 13 respectively on Friday (March 6, 2026). While Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the move aims to safeguard children against the negative impact of social media, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the State will introduce regulations within 90 days.
Andhra Pradesh mulls over ban on social media for children below 13
But the announcements may run into a well-recognised barrier as regulating the internet is the exclusive domain of the Union government.
“India’s digital and intermediary framework has largely been structured through Central law, including the IT Act and the IT Rules,” Garima Saxena, an analyst at the think tank The Dialogue, which works with tech firms.
A social media ban will not save our children
