Goa Considers Social Media Ban for Children Under 16, Following in Australia's Footsteps?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The government of Goa, India, is seriously considering the possibility of implementing a social media ban for children under the age of 16.

This initiative comes in response to growing concerns among parents about the negative impact of digital platforms on child development.

Goa's Minister of Tourism and Information Technology (IT), Rohan Khaunte, revealed that the initiative is still under study.

There is no specific bill or timeline for the policy's implementation, but internal discussions are ongoing.

This progressive measure is inspired by a similar law implemented in Australia.

The Goan government hopes to create a safer digital environment and support children's focus on education, in response to numerous complaints from parents.

The social media ban initiative was based on numerous complaints from parents in Goa.

They expressed deep concern about how social media and various digital platforms have become a significant distraction for their children.

Parents reported that dependence on devices and social media has led to various negative social implications.

“We have had a lot of complaints from parents. Social media and some of these platforms are becoming a distraction for the children, leading to a lot of social implications.”

Children tend to focus less on educational activities and spend more time online, even during family time.

Minister Khaunte emphasized the importance of children prioritizing education and utilizing technology that supports learning, as reported by The Indian Express.

He highlighted that this phenomenon creates behavioral and emotional complexities in the younger generation, which need to be addressed immediately.

The Goan government is not the only party in this discourse.

They were specifically inspired by legislation already implemented in Australia to protect minors from the impacts of social media.

“Australia has brought in a law ensuring a ban on social media for children below the age of 16. It is something they have already done," Minister Khaunte said.

"Our [IT] department, our people have already pulled out those particular papers. We are studying them. We will talk to the chief minister, and if possible, implement a similar ban on children below 16 for usage of social media. The details will follow.”

Australia has a regulation called the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act.

This law requires social media platforms to take reasonable steps to deactivate accounts held by children under 16.

The Goa IT Department is currently intensively reviewing the documents obtained from Australia.

This process is part of the preparation before a final decision can be made.

Further discussions will soon be held with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to discuss the findings and potential implementation.

Minister Khaunte indicated that further details and an official statement will likely be released before the next Assembly session.

The discourse on banning social media for minors is not unique to Goa.

The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is also considering a similar measure.

Globally, several countries such as France (targeting users under 15 starting September 2026), Denmark, Malaysia, and several states in the United States are also reviewing or have implemented similar restrictions.