Hateful posts, obscene content: Andhra to bring law to regulate social media use

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh government is considering bringing in a new legislation to regulate social media usage, including a possible restriction on access for school students.

The move is a part of its efforts to curb false propaganda, online abuse, and harmful content.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said a Cabinet sub-committee has been constituted to examine measures to regulate social media platforms and suggest a legal framework suitable for the state.

Cabinet panel studying regulatory framework

The Home Minister said the sub-committee has met twice and held detailed discussions on various aspects of social media regulation.

The panel reviewed measures adopted in states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and is assessing which mechanisms could be effectively implemented in Andhra Pradesh.

She noted that the government is particularly focused on identifying actionable and legally sustainable steps to counter misinformation and abusive content online.

Over 1,300 cases registered

Highlighting the scale of the issue, Anitha said that as many as 1,384 cases have been registered so far in connection with hateful, obscene, or misleading posts on social media. Of these, as many as 1,067 individuals have been arrested and produced before courts.

She added that the government has already initiated steps to draft a new law aimed at curbing false propaganda and fixing accountability on those spreading misinformation.

A group of ministers was constituted in September last year to study best practices and suggest modalities for legislation to identify and act against those responsible for spreading false information.

‘Age-Appropriate Access’ under consideration

In January, Minister for Information Technology and Electronics Nara Lokesh stated that the government would examine legal frameworks to ensure “age-appropriate access” to social media platforms.

Expressing concern over excessive usage among children and online abuse faced by women, Lokesh said declining trust in social media and its impact on attention spans and education cannot be ignored. He added that major platforms such as Meta, X, Google, and ShareChat would be invited to the next meeting of the Group of Ministers to study global best practices.

The panel is examining the feasibility of restricting or banning access to certain social media platforms for children below 16 years of age.

TDP seeks National Policy

On February 10, the Telugu Desam Party urged the Centre to deliberate on age-based regulation of social media.

TDP Parliamentary Party leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu met Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and submitted a memorandum seeking the constitution of a dedicated expert committee to frame a comprehensive national policy on age-based social media access.

He informed the Centre that the NDA government in Andhra Pradesh is actively examining the issue and working towards a robust legal framework to safeguard children in the digital space.

The proposed legislation, if enacted, could make Andhra Pradesh one of the first states in India to introduce a structured legal regime aimed at regulating social media access for minors while tightening action against misinformation and abusive online content.