Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the state government will ban social media use for children under 13.
He made the announcement while speaking on the Appropriation Bill in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Naidu said the government will implement the ban within 90 days. The move aims to reduce the harmful impact of social media on children.
At the same time, the government is discussing rules for teenagers aged 13 to 16. A final decision will come after consultations and consensus.
Chandrababu Naidu proposes regulation of social media use
Naidu’s announcement came on the same day Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka, declared a ban on social media for those under 16.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha told the Assembly that the government was considering legislation on the issue.
She said a sub-committee had already met twice. The panel discussed various aspects of restricting social media use among students.
The committee also reviewed steps taken in states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Meanwhile, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh said the government would study legal frameworks for age-appropriate access to social media.
He warned that excessive social media use harms children’s attention span and education.
Lokesh said a group of ministers had ordered a study on global regulations. The government will examine best practices before taking a final decision.
The panel also invited major platforms such as Meta, X, Google and ShareChat for consultations.
Officials are also examining whether platforms should restrict access for children aged 13 to 16.
Earlier, the Telugu Desam Party urged the Centre to consider age-based regulation of social media.
Party parliamentary leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu met Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw.
He submitted a memorandum seeking policy discussions on the issue. The memorandum requested an expert committee to recommend a national policy.