Andhra to restrict social media use for under-13 children; introduce age-appropriate digital framework
State Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, on Thursday directed officials to prepare legislation that balances digital access with child safety, creativity, and mental well-being.
By - Newsmeter Network
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Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh government is enacting a law to restrict social media access for children under 13 years of age.
The government is also introducing an age-appropriate digital framework for teenagers.
Focus on child safety and balanced digital access
State Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, on Thursday directed officials to prepare legislation that balances digital access with child safety, creativity, and mental well-being.
Chairing a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting with senior officials and representatives of leading social media platforms, he stressed the need for a graded, age-based content access system—especially for users aged 13 to 16—to prevent exposure to harmful or inappropriate content.
Global best practices to shape policy
The proposed framework aims to align Andhra Pradesh with emerging global standards in digital child protection.
Officials have been tasked with studying best practices from countries like Singapore, Australia, and Denmark to develop a robust legal and technological system tailored to India’s needs.
‘Age Tokens’ via digiLocker under consideration
As part of enforcement, the government is exploring secure age-verification mechanisms such as “age tokens” linked to DigiLocker.
This system could allow platforms to verify a user’s age without compromising privacy, making it easier to implement age-based restrictions effectively.
Social media platforms assure cooperation
Representatives from major platforms, including Meta, YouTube, X, ShareChat, and Josh, briefed the GoM on existing safeguards for content moderation and grievance redressal.
They also expressed willingness to collaborate with the state government in implementing stricter child safety measures.
Towards National-Level Policy
The state will seek public feedback on the proposed framework and submit recommendations to the Union government on issues falling under the central legislative domain, indicating the possibility of shaping a broader national policy.
Strict action against online abuse
Minister Lokesh made it clear that stringent action will be taken against those posting abusive or hateful content, particularly targeting women.
The government also plans to strengthen enforcement under existing IT laws, including Section 46 of the IT Act, and has directed officials to appoint adjudicating authorities at the earliest.
Awareness drives across schools and communities
Emphasising that regulation alone is not enough, the government will launch large-scale awareness initiatives across the state.
Key measures include:
Digital safety education during “No Bag Day” in schools
Awareness sessions for parents and students during Mega Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs)
Outreach programmes for women through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on cyber safety
Holistic approach to digital safety
The initiative aims to combine regulation with digital literacy, ensuring a safer online environment for children while empowering families and communities to navigate cyber risks effectively, Nara Lokesh said.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Vangalapudi Anitha, Nadendla Manohar, and Satyakumar Yadav, along with senior officials from various departments, including General Administration, Information & Public Relations, Cyber Crime, and Digital Corporation.
