K’taka govt mulls ban on mobile phones for students under 16

BENGALURU: The mysore regime is considering prohibiting students below 16 from using mobile river phones, with Chief government minister Siddaramaiah initiating consultations with university leaders as part of an effort to address concerns about social media addiction and its effects on children.Raising the issue at a meeting of vice-chancellors convened by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council, Siddaramaiah said the proposal was still in the discussion stage and sought their views on whether restrictions should be imposed on minors.“Today, we are discussing this, and as you are all the vice-chancellors here, I seek your opinion. Children are falling prey to drugs. Also, in line with various other countries, like Australia, there is a thought to ban mobile phones among students. I want your opinion on this. We are looking at this,” he said.The chief minister indicated that the proposed measure would apply only to minors and would not affect adult students on campuses. He also instructed vice-chancellors to take steps to ensure that educational institutions remain free of drugs, underscoring his concern the risks facing young people.According to officials, the consultations reflect growing unease within the government about the influence of smartphones and social media on students’ behaviour, mental health and academic progress. Siddaramaiah warned that excessive exposure to digital platforms was affecting children’s development and increasing their vulnerability to harmful influences.No decision has been announced, and the government is currently seeking feedback before determining whether to introduce any restrictions or how they might be implemented, officials aware of the matter said.The discussions come amid a broader debate within Karnataka and across India about regulating children’s access to smartphones and social media.Last Tuesday, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the government is holding consultations with various social media platforms on age-based restrictions.“This is something that has been accepted by many countries — that age-based regulation has to be there. It was part of our DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection ) Act. Right now, we are in conversation regarding deepfakes and age-based restrictions with various social media platforms,” Vaishnaw said at a press conference.Currently, there is no law in India that bars children below a certain age from accessing social media but under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, social media platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing personal data of anyone under 18. That indirectly limits use by minors because platforms typically rely on parental permission to legally handle a child’s data. This means platforms can’t freely collect data on children, or target ads at them without parental permission.Earlier this year, Priyank Kharge, Karnataka information technology minister, told the state assembly that the government was examining steps to address the impact of digital platforms on minors.“Finland has made a decision, the UK is also considering similar measures, and Australia took a call two months ago by banning social media exposure for children. We are also discussing what needs to be done in terms of the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and social media. The matter is under discussion,” he told Assembly in January.Other Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh and Goa, are also considering similar measures amid concerns about the psychological and social effects of excessive screen time.Nationally, India’s latest economic survey has warned that compulsive digital use among young people is affecting academic performance and productivity, and recommended safeguards such as age verification and limits on certain platform features.Several countries have already introduced age-based restrictions. Australia has enacted a law barring social media use for children under 16, while France and Denmark have approved limits for younger teenagers. Similar proposals are being examined in Finland and the United Kingdom.