To prevent the negative impact of social media on children, the governments of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh took a historic decision on Friday. A ban has been announced on social media use for children below the age of 16. In Andhra Pradesh, social media use by children below 13 years will be banned within the next 90 days. Both state governments are consulting on measures to ensure that children use artificial intelligence (AI) and social media cautiously. While parents have welcomed this decision, doubts are being raised about how effectively it will be implemented. Nowadays, many schools and colleges provide education through mobile phones or tablets, using several educational apps. In such a situation, controlling the use of educational apps and social media will be highly challenging. The decision comes amid rising concerns about online pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and internet addiction. After Karnataka announced the ban on social media use for children below 16, Meta Platforms issued a caution. The company advised governments considering such restrictions to ensure that teenagers are not pushed toward less safe and unregulated websites.
