Last Updated on January 21, 2026 9:20 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
NEWS DESK
Government of Andhra Pradesh is studying Australia’s move to restrict children under 16 from using social media, signaling a possible shift toward stricter digital regulations at the state level. Speaking to Bloomberg News on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Information Technology and Human Resources, Nara Lokesh, said the government is closely studying the Australian law.
“As a state, we are studying Australia’s under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment,” Lokesh told Bloomberg. He added that children below a certain age should not be on social media platforms as they often lack the maturity to understand or contextualize the content they consume.
At present, India relies on parental consent and controls to regulate minors’ access to social media, while the central government has not taken a clear stance on imposing broader age-based restrictions. Several petitions seeking tighter controls on harmful online content are already pending before courts, though implementing such rules at the state level could be challenging.
Legal experts have flagged enforcement hurdles.
The debate is part of a wider global trend. Countries including Indonesia, Denmark, and Brazil are also exploring tougher regulations on Big Tech, as governments worldwide seek to protect younger users amid rapidly evolving digital ecosystems.