Karnataka Chief Minister (CM) Siddaramaiah has announced that the state government is planning to ban social media for children below 16 years of age. The announcement was made during the presentation of 2026-27 state budget. The total outlay of the budget is Rs 4,48,004 crore for the financial year 2026–27. With the implementation of this policy, Karnataka will become the first state in India to implement such a restriction for minors under 16. The ban will include all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat and others. The announcement soon became a bone of contention, with some users supporting the move as a way to reduce social media addiction, while others expressed concerns about enforceability and children using VPNs or false age declarations.
The CM expressed his concern about the impact of mobile addiction and online gaming on academic performance and physical fitness. The state had earlier launched initiatives to increase reading time and reduce screen time among children. Karnataka’s move aligns with the global trend of banning or restricting the use of social media for minors. For example, recently Australia banned social media usage for children under 16 years of age in December 2025. Penalties for violation and collaboration with the concerned technological companies have not been discussed yet.
