Debate on Social Media Ban for Under-16s in India
The discussion around restricting access to social media for children under 16 in India is intensifying. This stems from concerns about digital addiction as a public health issue, highlighted in the Economic Survey. Key recommendations include:
- Enforcing age verification on platforms.
- Adopting safer default settings.
- Restricting autoplay and targeted advertising.
Proposed Interventions
- Different data plans for educational versus recreational use.
- Implementing cyber-safety education.
- Mandatory physical activity in schools.
- Parental training on managing screen time.
The Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has indicated that age-based restrictions are under consideration. A private member’s Bill suggests disabling accounts for users under 16.
Global Context and Australian Model
Australia's ban on social-media use for under-16s serves as a reference point. Its approach includes:
- Placing responsibility on platforms with fines for breaches.
- Requiring age verification through government IDs, facial recognition, or behavioral inference.
European countries are exploring similar restrictions. However, Australia's experience shows enforcement challenges, as teenagers bypass restrictions using VPNs, fake birthdates, or parents' accounts. Additionally, there are concerns about pushing children to less moderated online spaces.
Data Privacy and Regulation Challenges
Implementing age verification for India's vast internet user base is challenging and raises data privacy concerns. Intrusive data collection could lead to new surveillance risks in a country still developing robust data-protection enforcement. Social media also provides critical benefits, especially for remote or disabled teenagers.
India's Regulatory Approach
The Economic Survey suggests focusing on platform design rather than entry restrictions. Recommendations include:
- Teen-safe designs disabling autoplay and endless scroll by default.
- Verified youth modes with stricter privacy settings.
- Clear platform liability backed by transparency obligations.
Regulation should ensure healthy digital habits while recognizing digital addiction as a public health challenge. Given the insufficiency of evidence from Australia's recent measures, India must proceed with caution.
