Indian tourist state of Goa weighs social media ban for children

India's top tourist state of Goa is considering an Australia-like social media ban for children, as concerns grow over the risks of such use to their mental health in a nation with more than a billion internet users.

Among the top markets for tech giants such as Meta META.O, Google's YouTube and X, India is estimated to have many users younger than 18, but it lacks national curbs on social media, or even suggestions that the federal government plans one.

Authorities in Goa are examining Australia's law to study how to regulate minors' access to social media platforms, said Rohan Khaunte, the state's infotech minister.

"If possible, (we will) implement a similar ban on children below 16 for usage of social media," he told reporters this week. "Details will follow."

The southern state of Andhra Pradesh, with a population of more than 53 million, has said it is looking into similar measures. Goa by contrast, is the smallest state by area, with a population estimated at over 1.5 million.

India's IT ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Meta, Google and X also did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the plan.

Andhra Pradesh recently set up a panel of senior ministers to make recommendations within a month after studying such global regulation efforts, media said.

Last year, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, deactivating 4.7 million teen accounts in the first month.

France, Indonesia and Malaysia are among other countries watching the Australian rollout with a view to adopting similar laws.

-Arpan Chaturvedi/Reuters