The issue involving children and social media is escalating due to many unwanted problems. Therefore, several Asian countries including Malaysia and Indonesia are discussing efforts to tighten the age limit for using social media as safety issues are increasingly worrying. In addition, other Asian countries such as India are also studying the same measure as awareness of adolescent mental health is increasing.
Quoting a Gulf News report, Goa in India is considering banning the use of social media for children under 16, i.e. emulating the measures implemented in Australia. The Goa Minister explained that the authorities are currently studying Australian laws to see how best to control adolescents' access to social media.
Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh is also studying the same measure by setting up a panel of ministers to draft a proposal. However, the Indian central government has so far not planned to implement a ban at the national level.
In a different development, Meta expressed support for laws that require parental supervision. However, the company also warned that banning the use of social media could cause adolescents to move to uncontrolled sites.
Meanwhile, Australia became the first country to implement a social media ban for children under 16 in December 2025, with 4.7 million teen accounts closed in the first month of implementation.
Following the move, Goa and several other states in India began to seriously examine the risks of social media to adolescent mental health, drawing inspiration from Australia's experience.
