Goa may impose Australia-style social media ban for children under 16

Goa is studying Australia's law restricting social media access for children under 16, after parents have raised concerns about online distractions and the impact on students' learning

A possible social media ban for children under 16 is gaining attention among Indian states, with Goa being the latest to examine such a move. The state's Tourism and Information Technology (IT) Minister Rohan Khaunte on Sunday said that the government has received multiple complaints from parents regarding social media increasingly becoming a distraction for students, reported The Indian Express.

 

"Australia has brought in a law ensuring a ban on social media for children below the age of 16. It is something they have already done. Our [IT] department, our people have already pulled out those particular papers. We are studying them. We will talk to the chief minister, and if possible, implement a similar ban on children below 16 for the usage of social media. The details will follow," he said.

 

He added that the broader idea is to ensure children are more focused on education and education-related technology.

 

"In the world of artificial intelligence, we need them to be more focused on this, which can make them good citizens and take care of the future of the state and the country. The social impact will be positive," he said.

 

Goa is not the first Indian state to consider such a state-wide ban. Last week, Andhra Pradesh Technology and Human Resources Minister Nara Lokesh told Bloomberg that the state government is closely examining Australia’s under-16 social media law, making it the first Indian state to explore such a move.

 

Why this matters?

A 2025 LocalCircles study found that India had over 880 million internet users in 2024, with teenagers spending roughly an hour and a half online each day.

 

It said 82.2 per cent of children aged 14–16 can operate smartphones, but only 57 per cent use them primarily for educational purposes. By contrast, 76 per cent use their devices mainly for social media, indicating greater involvement with online platforms than with academic activities. Research conducted in Indian schools suggested that between 11 and 37 per cent of adolescents exhibit patterns of problematic or potentially addictive social media use.

 

Which countries have restricted social media for children?

The inclination towards such a ban comes after Australia, in December, became the world’s first democracy to require social media platforms to bar children under 16 from their services. Similarly, on Monday, the French National Assembly also adopted a bill banning children aged under 15 from accessing social media. The ban targets popular social media apps, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Policymakers from Indonesia, Denmark and Brazil have said they are planning similar moves.