Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:01am on 06 Mar 2026,Friday India
The Karnataka government has proposed banning social media use for children under 16 to curb rising concerns about digital addiction and its impact on teenagers’ mental health. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the plan while presenting the 2026–27 state budget, saying excessive mobile and social media use is affecting students’ behaviour, academic focus, and emotional well-being. The policy aims to protect minors from harmful online exposure and reduce screen time. If implemented, Karnataka would become the first Indian state with such a restriction. The move reflects a growing global debate on regulating children’s online activity, with countries like Australia and others considering similar age-based social media limits.
