Guide Young Minds

March 1, 2026

There is a debate blowing around reports that some states in India are mulling a ban on social media for children under 16 years of age, considering the effects it has on young minds.

In Australia, a law has been created to protect young people from features that encourage spending too much time on screens and show content that can be harmful to overall health and well-being, according to the country’s Office For Youth, which adds, “Restricting access aims to protect young people from these risks”.Before rolling out the law they spoke with children and parents.”Parents said that some children will somehow find out, but not all. It all depends how a legislation is introduced, how it’s monitored, and how the society and individual homes regulate it,” explained Jatin Gandhi, journalist, and a Trust and Safety practitioner.

Trust and Safety practices refer to policies, practices, and teams dedicated to ensuring that users can trust and feel safe while using online platforms and services.“So, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. It has been ignored till now and social media had a free run and created havoc in our society. With Internet penetration rising fast and the decline in quality of online platforms as they prioritise profit over users, there’s a need for control,” he stressed.“It’s dangerous to allow social media to permeate our lives; that’s why it is a good idea to first ban, then to regulate, then to ease,” he added.Joydeep Dasgupta, an expert in fact checking, and media and AI literacy, shared cautious optimism.

“Social media use among children must be restricted. The Internet is a valuable resource for school assignments, where they should be allowed access with parental or teacher’s guidance,” he stated.

But, “The moment children are exposed to smartphones, they inevitably step into the digital world – and thereby, into social media. In today’s connected world, asking them to completely avoid smartphones or social networking platforms is neither practical nor realistic,” warned Sambit Pal, In-Charge Director at the International School of Broadcasting and Journalism at MIT Art, Design and
Technology University in Pune.“What we need instead is parental guidance and open conversations about how to use social media wisely. This is a far more effective way to minimise its harmful effects,” he too agreed. According to Dasgupta, “Unrestricted social media access can expose children to online risks like cyberbullying, predators, and unhealthy comparisons.