Concerns around excessive screen time and online exposure among children are gaining policy attention as India reviews how young users engage with social media platforms.
India’s chief economic adviser has urged the government to consider age-based restrictions on access to social media apps to address what he described as growing “digital addiction”. The recommendation comes at a time when India is the largest user market for platforms owned by Meta and YouTube, raising concerns over children’s exposure to harmful content.
The proposal was outlined in India’s annual economic survey, where the adviser, V. Anantha Nageswaran, cautioned against unrestricted social media use by minors. He also encouraged families to adopt practical steps such as screen-time limits, device-free hours, and more shared offline activities. “Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content,” he wrote in the survey.
A move in this direction would place India alongside a growing number of countries exploring similar regulations. Australia became the first nation last year to enforce a ban on social media for children under 16. France’s National Assembly has backed legislation to restrict access for children under 15, while Britain, Denmark, Spain, and Greece are also examining the issue.
India currently does not have a unified national minimum age for social media access, despite being a key growth market for global platforms. The federal recommendation also reflects increasing action at the state level. Goa and Andhra Pradesh have recently announced that they are studying Australia’s regulatory framework to assess the possibility of banning social media use for children.
Major social media companies, including the operators of Facebook, YouTube, and X, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the proposed measures.
The discussion highlights a broader debate on balancing digital access with child safety, as policymakers weigh regulation against the rapid expansion of social media use across age groups in India.
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