Datanomics: India's young lead the charge in growing smartphone use

The EU Kids Act proposes banning social media for children under 13 as several countries tighten access rules, while India weighs age-based restrictions amid rising smartphone use and cybercrime risks

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently announced the EU Kids Act, proposing a ban on social media for children under 13. Several countries have already enacted such bans — Australia was the first, followed by France, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey. India’s Economic Survey for 2025-26 recommended considering age-based restrictions on children’s social media use. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh announced such restrictions in March, though there are no curbs on an all-India basis. Smartphone use among children rose between 2020 and 2023, most notably in the age groups of 10-14 and 15-19. Worryingly, over 60 per cent of cybercrimes against children relate to sexually explicit content. However, only on September 15 this year, Meta — the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — agreed to report child sexual abuse material (CSAM) cases directly to Indian law enforcement agencies.