Published Apr 10, 2026 | 10:52 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 10, 2026 | 10:52 AM
Social media. (iStock)
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Education, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh directed officials to draft a comprehensive regulatory framework to restrict social media access for children below 13 years. Officials have been tasked with studying global best practices. The move is aimed at aligning Andhra Pradesh with evolving international standards on digital child protection.
In a policy push to strengthen child safety in the digital space, Andhra Pradesh Education, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh directed officials to draft a comprehensive regulatory framework to restrict social media access for children below 13 years and create a safer, age-appropriate digital environment for teenagers.
Chairing a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting at his Undavalli residence, Lokesh asked officials to prepare legislation that balances access to digital platforms with concerns around child safety, creativity and mental wellbeing.
The proposed framework will introduce a graded, age-based content access system, particularly for users between 13 and 16 years, to prevent exposure to harmful or inappropriate material.
Officials have been tasked with studying global best practices from countries such as Singapore, Australia and Denmark to design a regulatory model suited to India’s needs. The move is aimed at aligning Andhra Pradesh with evolving international standards on digital child protection.
As part of the enforcement strategy, the state is exploring secure age-verification systems, including the use of “age tokens” integrated with DigiLocker. The mechanism is expected to help platforms verify users’ age without compromising privacy, enabling large-scale implementation of age restrictions.
Lokesh also underscored the need for stricter action against abusive and hateful online content, particularly targeting women. He directed officials to strengthen enforcement under existing provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, including Section 46, and to appoint adjudicating authorities at the earliest.
The initiative will combine regulatory safeguards with efforts to improve digital literacy, signalling a broader approach to online child safety.
During the meeting, representatives from major platforms such as Meta, YouTube, X, ShareChat and Josh outlined existing safeguards to restrict sensitive content and address user complaints. They expressed willingness to collaborate with the state government in implementing the proposed measures.
The Andhra Pradesh government will also seek public feedback and submit recommendations to the Union government on aspects falling under the central legislative domain, indicating a possible pathway for national-level policy reform.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Vangalapudi Anitha, Nadendla Manohar and Satyakumar Yadav, along with senior officials from multiple departments, including General Administration, Information and Public Relations, Cyber Crime and Digital Corporation.
(With inputs from Sumit Jha.)
