Karnataka bans social media for children under 16 in Budget
06 Mar 2026

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has proposed a ban on social media for children below the age of 16.

The proposal was made while presenting the state's budget for 2026-27.

The move comes amid rising concerns over digital addiction and its impact on young people.

"Social media will be banned for children under the age of 16 to prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage," Siddaramaiah said during his budget speech.

Proposed budget for 2026-27 is ₹4,48,004 crore
Budget details

The proposed budget for 2026-27 is ₹4,48,004 crore.

Siddaramaiah stressed a development strategy that balances welfare programs with infrastructure investment and long-term economic transformation.

He also slammed the central government for not following constitutional federalism principles, alleging injustice to the state.

The CM urged the Union government to pay more attention to Karnataka's needs.

Ban in line with earlier discussions by Karnataka government
Digital safety

The proposed ban on social media for children under 16 is in line with earlier discussions by the Karnataka government.

IT Minister Priyanka Kharge had hinted at exploring restrictions during a previous Assembly session.

This makes Karnataka one of the first Indian states to consider such measures amid growing concerns over online safety and excessive screen time among minors.

The state government also recently launched the campaign "Mobile Bidi Pustaka Hidi" to encourage children to read books and visit libraries.