Indian tourist state of Goa weighs social media ban for children

India's top tourist state of Goa is considering a social media ban for children similar to one implemented in Australia, as concerns grow over mental health risks in a nation with more than a billion internet users.



Among the top markets for tech giants such as Meta, Google's YouTube and X, India is thought to have many users aged under 18 but has imposed no national curbs on social media and there are no indications the federal government plans to do so.



Authorities in Goa are examining Australia's law to study how to regulate minors' access to social media platforms, said Rohan Khaunte, the state's infotech minister.



"If possible, (we will) implement a similar ban on children below 16 for usage of social media," he told reporters this week. "Details will follow."



The southern state of Andhra Pradesh, with a population of more than 53 million, has said it is looking into similar measures. Goa, by contrast, is the smallest state by area, with a population estimated at over 1.5 million.



Meta said it supports laws which require parental oversight but that "governments considering bans should be careful not to push teens toward less safe, unregulated sites."