Goa mulls social media ban for children under 16

Goa, India’s top tourist destination, is exploring a ban on social media for children, echoing a move recently implemented in Australia, amid growing concerns over mental health risks among young internet users.

India, home to more than a billion internet users, is a key market for tech giants like Meta, Google’s YouTube, and X. Despite this, the country has no national



restrictions on social media for minors, and there are no indications that the federal government plans to introduce any.

Rohan Khaunte, Goa’s minister for information technology, told reporters the state is reviewing Australia’s legislation as a model. “If possible, we will implement a similar ban for children under 16,” he said. “Details will follow.”