The Andhra Pradesh government is examining the possibility of restricting or banning the use of social media platforms by children below the age of 16, citing growing concerns over online abuse and its impact on minors.
State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said on Friday that a government-appointed committee is studying legal and policy options to regulate children’s access to social media. The committee, a Group of Ministers (GoM), was constituted in October 2025 and is expected to submit its report within a month. Its findings will also be shared with the central government.
The GoM is headed by IT Minister Nara Lokesh and includes ministers such as Anitha, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav, and others. The panel is reviewing existing laws, rules, and guidelines governing online platforms and examining models followed by other Indian states and countries to identify best practices.
Anitha said the committee is closely studying international examples, including Australia, where new legislation sets 16 as the minimum age for social media use and places responsibility on platforms to ensure compliance.
“We are studying not only the Australian model but also various models being implemented across India and globally. The focus is on how to control social media abuse and determine the extent to which the state can enforce restrictions,” the minister said. “Whether it is a ban or regulation, controlling misuse is our primary objective.”
Highlighting loopholes in current systems, Anitha noted that while many social media platforms ask users to declare their age, they often fail to verify the information. She suggested that platforms could be required to authenticate users’ ages by asking for valid proof.
“What we feel is that social media platforms should verify age by asking users to upload age-proof documents. These are some of the ideas that emerged during earlier discussions,” she said.
Earlier, IT Minister Nara Lokesh had indicated at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the state government was considering restrictions on social media usage by children under 16. His remarks were welcomed by the ruling Telugu Desam Party.
The Group of Ministers was formed on October 1, 2025, and was tasked with submitting its recommendations to the government at the earliest.