Andhra Pradesh : Ban on social media for children under 16; Major decision by Andhra Pradesh government

Currently, the use of the internet and social media is increasing rapidly. From young children to teenagers, all age groups are connected to social media. However, in this digital world, along with positive aspects, negative, violent, and criminal content is also widely available. Particularly for young children, this content is proving to be mentally dangerous, which is why the Andhra Pradesh government has made an important decision to ban social media for children under 16 years of age.

The Australian government recently enacted a law to impose restrictions on social media for children under 16. Similarly, the Andhra Pradesh government is also preparing to take a strict stance. Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh clarified the government's position, stating that the state government is seriously considering that children under 16 should not be active on social media. He clarified that this ban will be similar to the law implemented in Australia.

Speaking to Bloomberg in Davos, Nara Lokesh said that young children are not fully aware of the type of content they face on social media. Often, violent, obscene, or mentally harmful content comes before them. Therefore, a strong and clear legal framework is necessary to protect children from such dangers, he noted.

Meanwhile, TDP's national spokesperson G. Deepak Reddy also expressed support for this decision. He stated that Nara Lokesh has rightly highlighted the negative impact of social media on children's mental health and safety. Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough, and their ability to understand the harmful content available online is limited.

Reddy also criticized the YSR Congress Party's regime at this time. According to him, during that period, social media was extensively used to make cruel and insulting attacks on women. Therefore, it is now essential to keep young children away from online negativity. For this, the Andhra Pradesh government is studying global best practices and conducting an in-depth examination of Australia's under-16 social media law.