India's tech state Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and Reddit applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration//File Photo

NEW DELHI, ⁠March 6 (Reuters) - The ⁠southern Indian state of ‌Karnataka, home to the tech hub of Bengaluru, has ​banned the use ⁠of social media ⁠by those under the ⁠age of ‌16, state Chief Minister ⁠Siddaramaiah said on Friday, becoming ​the ‌first in India to ⁠do so.

"With ​the objective of preventing adverse effects of ⁠increasing mobile usage ​on children, usage of social media will be banned ⁠for children under the age of 16," Siddaramaiah, who uses only ​one name, ⁠said in his budget ​speech.

(Reporting by ‌Aditya Kalra, writing ​by Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh)