After Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka mulls social media, mobile phone ban for kids under 16

The Karnataka government is considering a ban on social media and mobile phones for children under the age of 16. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday sought the opinion of vice chancellors across the state on whether such a restriction should be implemented, according to a report by The Times of India. Incidentally, in February this year, Andhra Pradesh also said that it is planning to ban mobile phones in school.

Siddaramaiah asked academicians to share their views on imposing a complete ban on mobile phones or social media use among minors. He expressed concern that excessive gadget use was negatively affecting children’s learning, behaviour, and mental health.

While several vice chancellors supported the proposal, some raised practical concerns. They pointed out that many private schools, particularly elite institutions, rely on mobile phones to assign homework, share learning material, and communicate with students.


Responding to this, the Chief Minister said his primary concern was students in government schools. He stressed the need to protect them from harmful influences and prevent misuse of technology at a young age.

The discussion comes amid broader deliberations within the government on regulating minors’ access to digital platforms. During the previous Assembly session, Karnataka IT Minister Priyanka Kharge had also indicated that the government was exploring the possibility of restricting social media access for children.

This is not the first time such measures have been proposed in the state. In 2014, a committee of the Karnataka Legislature recommended a ban on mobile phones in schools and colleges as part of efforts to address crimes against women and minors.

The 23-member Legislature Committee on Women and Child Welfare, headed by Shakuntala Shetty, urged the Education Department to enforce a compulsory ban on students bringing mobile phones to educational institutions. The recommendation was included in a report tabled in both Houses of the Karnataka Legislature.

At the time, the committee said its interactions suggested that mobile phones were sometimes linked to cases of kidnapping and sexual crimes involving school and college-going girls.