Multiple Nations Weigh Social Media Bans for Minors

Governments in India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa are evaluating new restrictions on social media and online content for minors to combat mental health declines and exposure to harmful material. This shift follows regulatory actions by Australia and France, where laws now restrict social media access for children under 16 and 15, respectively.

In Goa, India, Rohan Khaunte, the Minister for Information Technology, announced that the state is studying the feasibility of a ban for children under 16. The government is reviewing Australia's Online Safety Amendment Act to determine if such a move is viable under India's central IT laws, citing parental concerns over excessive screen time.

Similarly, Sri Lanka's government is discussing limits on social media for students and minors. Deputy Minister of the Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne stated that enforcement could be achieved through cooperation between telecommunications providers and social media platforms, pending a final decision from the Ministry of Mass Media or Ministry of Education.

South Africa is pursuing a different approach via its Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. Official Tlangelani Manganyi detailed proposals within a Draft White Paper to criminalize the exposure of children to pornographic material to protect their moral and mental development. These regional efforts align with broader trends, including age-detection rollouts by TikTok in Europe.