Karnataka & Andhra’s social media ban for kids – Will it work in a borderless digital ecosystem?

In a bold attempt to redraw the boundaries of childhood in the digital age, Karnataka has announced a ban on social media access for children under 16, while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is moving quickly to implement similar restrictions for users under 13. The move places the two states at the forefront of a growing global push to regulate children’s access to social media platforms, positioning India as a potential testing ground for one of the internet’s most contentious policy debates.