Is India banning social media for teens?
20 Feb 2026

India is mulling over the introduction of age-based restrictions on social media platforms, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

The move comes after Australia's decision to restrict users under 16 from accessing platforms like Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Vaishnaw emphasized that such regulations "must be there" to protect minors from potential online harms.

Ongoing discussions with social media platforms
Ongoing discussions

Vaishnaw revealed that the Indian government is in talks with various social media platforms about these age-based restrictions and deepfake regulations.

He said, "Right now we are in a conversation regarding deepfakes, regarding age-based restrictions with the various social media platforms and what is the right way to go about this."

This indicates that India is actively working on formulating its approach toward these issues.

Andhra Pradesh's proposed ban for under-16 users
Regional action

The statement from Vaishnaw comes after Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh's announcement last week that the state government is planning to ban social media for users under 16.

Earlier this week, Goa's Information Technology Minister, Rohan Khaunte, also revealed that the state government is looking into the possibility of banning social media for children under 16.

France urges India to ban social media for teens
'Join the club'

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at the India-AI Impact Summit on Thursday, urged India to consider banning social media for children.

He said France is prioritizing stronger safeguards to protect children from AI-driven risks and digital harm.

"In France, we are initiating a process to ban social networks for children under the age of 15," he said, noting that Spain and several other European nations are exploring similar measures.

He also encouraged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "join the club."