India weighs age-based social media curbs after PM praises Australia's ban

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a bilateral visit to Australia, commended Australia's legislation that restricts social media access for minors under 16. In remarks made public on Friday (July 9, 2026), Modi told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “I have followed you closely, and the way you have legislated and worked to protect society in IT and social media is inspiring the world.”

Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, 2024 mandates social media platforms to detect and block access for users below 16 years. This move is part of a global trend as concerns mount over the impact of social media on children's mental health. Officials from India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have indicated that India is exploring a “graded” approach—permitting some social media access while restricting certain content based on the age group of minors.

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed these discussions during a press conference at the AI Impact Summit in February. “It's a problem which is growing day by day,” Vaishnaw said. “And certainly there is a need for protecting our children, protecting our society from these harms...we are in a conversation regarding age-based restrictions with the various social media platforms and...the right way to go about this.”

The government has not yet clarified whether it will introduce a law in Parliament or amend the existing Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These rules currently govern requirements like labelling AI-generated images.

In April 2026, two state governments announced their own initiatives. Andhra Pradesh declared its intention to pursue a law regulating children's social media use, while Karnataka followed suit. The Andhra Pradesh government stated that “officials have been tasked with studying best practices from countries such as Singapore, Australia, and Denmark to build a robust legal and technological framework [to enforce the law] tailored to India's needs.” However, neither state has tabled a draft law in its legislature. Crucially, regulating the internet falls under the Union List, meaning MeitY has primary authority. This could pose challenges if state proposals advance before central legislation is in place.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said in a statement in April that it would “comply with social media bans where they are enforced,” while expressing doubts that such bans are the most effective solution for children's online wellbeing.

Digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) opposes a total ban, arguing that social media can foster civic participation among young people. “When a playground is unsafe, we make efforts to fix the equipment, ensure appropriate guardrails, and prioritise safety as opposed to banning the use of the playground entirely,” IFF said. “Given that the internet is not disappearing anywhere in the near future, and that even with a ban, young people will eventually find themselves online, the better approach than blocking access is making the internet a safer place.”