Goa govt considers social media ban for minors

GOA: Goa may become the first Indian state to draw a hard line on children’s social media use. The coastal state is studying Australia’s landmark law that bars under-16s from accessing social media platforms, signalling a tougher stance on online safety as anxieties over young people’s mental health intensify.

Rohan Khaunte, Goa’s information technology minister, said the state government is examining Australia’s regulatory framework to assess whether a similar restriction could be implemented locally. “If possible, we will implement a similar ban on children below 16 for the usage of social media,” he told reporters, adding that details would follow after further evaluation.

The discussion comes at a time when India, home to more than a billion internet users, has no national-level restrictions or formal guidelines governing minors’ access to social media. Yet concern over excessive screen time, online bullying and digital addiction among children has grown sharper, pushing states to explore their own solutions.

Australia set a global precedent last year by becoming the first country to formally prohibit social media use for children under 16. The law places the onus on platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from holding accounts, backed by the threat of hefty fines. Within its first month, nearly 4.7 million teenage accounts were reportedly deactivated, reigniting global debate over child safety, digital rights and platform accountability.

Goa’s move, though coming from India’s smallest state by area with a population of about 1.5 million, has already resonated beyond its borders. Andhra Pradesh, a southern state with more than 53 million people, has indicated it is assessing similar regulatory options. Media reports say the state has constituted a panel of senior ministers to study international models and submit recommendations within a month.

Any state-level ban, however, would face legal and practical hurdles. Goa is examining whether such restrictions are viable under India’s central information technology laws, which govern digital platforms nationwide. Enforcement, too, remains contentious, with critics arguing that children could simply bypass age checks through technical loopholes.

At the national level, the ministry of electronics and information technology has not publicly commented on the developments. Major technology companies, including Meta, Google and X, have also remained silent on the prospect of India-wide or state-specific restrictions.

Globally, Goa is not alone in looking to Canberra for cues. France, Indonesia and Malaysia are closely watching Australia’s rollout, with France having already passed a related bill in its National Assembly. The momentum suggests a broader international shift towards stricter regulation of children’s digital lives.

For now, Goa’s proposal remains under study. But the signal is clear: as India’s digital population grows younger and larger, the pressure on governments to act is rising fast. Whether through bans, guardrails or new rules of engagement, the era of laissez-faire childhood scrolling may be nearing its end.