New Delhi: India is evaluating a significant policy shift toward regulating social media access for younger users, as top economic advisers recommend age-based limits to address rising concerns about digital addiction and online harm. The recommendation, which emerged in the annual Economic Survey 2026, signals intensifying debate on how and when minors should use online platforms.
The chief economic adviser to the Government of India, V. Anantha Nageswaran, has urged policymakers to “consider age-based limits” on social media access, especially for children and adolescents. In the survey presented Thursday, he highlighted that younger users are particularly vulnerable to compulsive behaviours and exposure to potentially harmful content on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X. The advisory also suggested that digital platforms be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults.
According to the survey, India currently lacks a unified national minimum age requirement for social media use a gap that makes it easier for underage users to create accounts by misreporting age or bypassing controls. India’s large digital footprint, with over a billion internet users and hundreds of millions of smartphone connections, has drawn attention to how unregulated access might affect youth wellbeing and behaviour online.
The adviser’s suggestions also promote family-level measures to create healthier digital habits, including promoting screen-time limits, device-free hours and shared offline activities. Although these proposals are non-binding, they are expected to influence policy discussions as the government finalises its position ahead of the 2026-27 Budget.
At the state level, authorities have also shown interest in stronger digital safety rules for minors. The tourist state of Goa is considering proposals to ban social media use for children under 16, inspired by Australia’s pioneering legislation that has already restricted access for minors in that age group. Andhra Pradesh has similarly indicated it is studying Australia’s framework to decide whether a comparable model could be adapted within its jurisdiction.
Global momentum appears to be fostering these conversations. Countries such as Australia and France have moved forward with or passed age-based social media restrictions Australia’s ban applies to users under 16, while France’s legislature recently backed a bill to bar children under 15 from social media under certain conditions. Other nations, including Britain, Denmark, Spain and Greece, are also exploring similar safeguards.
The debate reflects broader concerns about mental health, online addiction and cyberbullying among youth, and comes at a time when governments worldwide are reassessing how digital environments affect younger generations. Critics of sweeping age bans argue that overly restrictive measures could push minors toward less regulated corners of the internet, and stress the importance of balancing safety with digital inclusion and education.
As New Delhi weighs its options, the government’s next steps whether in the form of national legislation, platform guidelines, or state-level initiatives will be closely watched by families, educators, tech companies and civil society groups alike.