Should India ban social media access for teens?

Explore the debate on whether India should ban social media access for teens in an insightful webinar hosted by The Hindu.

Three minor sisters ended their lives early on February 4, 2026 after jumping off the balcony of a ninth-floor flat in Ghaziabad, as their parents had restricted mobile phone usage, the police said. During their investigation, the police learnt that the children had dropped out of school in 2020. In the note that they left behind, they had written that they were not being allowed to watch Shinchan, Doraemon, TV serials, and felt very lonely

A U.S. lawsuit accuses major social media platforms—including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube—of deliberately designing addictive features that harm young users. Snapchat confirmed it made a deal to avoid a U.S. civil trial accusing it, along with Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, of addicting young people to social media. Lawsuits accusing social media platforms of practices endangering young users are also making their way through federal court in Northern California and state courts across the country.

On December 10, 2025, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a social media ban on users under the age of 16. The ban blocks children from accessing nearly 10 big social platforms, including X and Facebook. Spain and Greece join countries such as Britain and France in considering tougher stances on social media.

In India, Andhra Pradesh’s Information Technology and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh has said that the State government is contemplating imposing a ban on access to social media for children below 16 years, like in Australia, to protect them from its harmful impact. Welcoming the move, Telugu Desam Party national spokesperson G. Deepak Reddy said Mr. Lokesh has rightly highlighted the serious concern surrounding the impact of social media on the mental health and safety of children.

When governments regulate platforms, schools and edtech will be forced to adapt: Age-gating, verified learner identities, and restricted social features for minors. To delve deeper into this topic, The Hindu will host a webinar, ‘Should India ban social media access for teens?’, on February 14 at 5:00 p.m. The panellists include: Prof. Sheetal Shinde, Assistant Professor of Law, BITS Law School; Kshitija Sawant, University Psychologist & Counsellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University; Chetna Israni, Co-Founder & Director, Morning Star BrandCom; Aroon Deep, Principal Correspondent, The Hindu. The webinar will be moderated by Ravina Warkad, Senior Sub-Editor, Education Vertical, The Hindu.

Register now for free to ask questions and interact with the panellists. The three best questions will receive a free online subscription to The Hindu.