Amaravati, February 10 The TDP, a key ally in the NDA government at the Centre, has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to consider establishing a dedicated committee or expert group to study the regulation of social media based on age and recommend a comprehensive national policy.
In a letter to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, TDP Floor Leader in Lok Sabha Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said that Andhra Pradesh is actively examining this issue and exploring a robust legal framework to protect children online.
He also stated that he is proposing to introduce a Private Member’s Bill on Social Media (Age Restrictions and Online Safety), seeking, among other measures, a minimum age threshold for social media access, mandatory age-verification mechanisms, and the permanent deletion of children's personal data collected during verification, along with strong enforcement and penalties for non-compliance.
"I have submitted the Bill online. It has not yet been taken up in the ballot system," Sri Krishna Devarayalu told PTI.
"In light of the national and international significance of this matter, I respectfully request that the Ministry consider establishing a dedicated committee or expert group to study the regulation of social media based on age and recommend a comprehensive national policy," the TDP leader said in the letter.
He noted that Australia has enacted a ban on social media access for children under 16, while Denmark, Malaysia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand are actively considering or advancing similar age-based restrictions as part of broader online safety frameworks.
This, he said, reflects an emerging global consensus that parental controls alone are insufficient and that responsibility must rest squarely with platforms.
He further stated that in India, nearly 90 per cent of children aged 14–16 have access to smartphones at home, and over 75 per cent actively use social media, largely for recreational purposes.
Studies indicate that more than 60 per cent of minors have experienced online bullying, and nearly half are exposed to age-inappropriate or harmful content, he added.
"Excessive social media use has been increasingly linked to rising anxiety, depression, and self-harm among adolescents, even as platforms continue to collect and monetise children’s data without adequate safeguards," Sri Krishna Devarayalu said.
The Economic Survey 2025–26 has also flagged rising digital addiction among youth, linking high-intensity social media use to serious mental health and behavioural risks, he added.
