Andhra Pradesh is reportedly studying Australia’s ban on social media for children under 16, Minister Nara Lokesh told Bloomberg News in Davos, Switzerland.
“We are studying the law as a state, and we need to enact a strong law,” he said during the ongoing World Economic Forum at Davos. The minister said that young people under a certain age should not be allowed on social media as they don’t understand what they are seeing.
It has to be noted that several petitions have been filed in courts, seeking to tighten control over access to social media and state-level enforcement may face legal and technological challenges.
Lawyers specialising in cyber security and public policy say that it has to be looked into if a total ban on social media is possible and enforceable. “Internet works through a backbone and there are ways to circumvent IP detection,” Karnika Seth, a lawyer was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
TDP: AP govt studying global best practices
Responding to Lokesh’s remarks, Telugu Desam Party National Spokesperson Deepak Reddy said, “Minister Nara Lokesh ji has rightly highlighted the serious concerns surrounding the impact of social media on the mental health and safety of young children. Andhra Pradesh government is studying global best practices and examining Australia’s under-16 social media law.”