Bengaluru: After Andhra Pradesh and Goa, the Karnataka government is considering restricting children’s access to social media, citing growing concerns over its harmful impact.
The issue was discussed in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, January 30, after senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar urged the government to take urgent steps to protect children from the risks associated with social media exposure.
Responding to the concerns, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge described the matter as “very serious” and said the government was actively deliberating possible measures. He noted that several countries have already taken steps in this direction.
“Finland has taken a decision, the United Kingdom is also considering similar measures, and Australia banned social media exposure for children two months ago. We are also discussing what needs to be done with regard to the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and social media. The matter is under discussion,” Kharge told the House.
The minister added that the department, in collaboration with Meta, has launched a digital detox programme aimed at promoting responsible online behaviour. “Nearly three lakh children and about one lakh teachers are participating in the programme. This is a very important issue, and I am conveying what the government is currently doing,” he said.
Earlier, raising the issue in the Assembly, Suresh Kumar pointed out that Australia has decided to restrict social media access for children below the age of 16. He warned that children were being exposed to pornographic content even before reaching adulthood.
“This is a very serious matter. We must introduce some measures. Otherwise, I do not know what will happen to our schools and families. A report on this issue has also been submitted to the Central government,” he said.
Kumar further noted that Goa has already taken certain steps to address the issue. “We may not be able to control it completely, but we must take some measures. We are losing children because of premature exposure to social media,” he said, appealing for urgent action.
He stressed that such decisions should be taken beyond party politics. “Unfortunately, due to arguments and counter-arguments between political parties, issues concerning common people, such as health and education, are not discussed. A common man passing in front of the Vidhana Soudha will wonder whether there will ever be discussions about him,” he said.
Questioning the relevance of governance debates, Kumar remarked, “It is a serious question whether the common citizen is the subject of debate here. The government gets the Governor to address the House as ‘my government’. If genuine governance is delivered, the common man will say it is ‘my government’. Until then, the system becomes meaningless.”
Referring to the recent stampede in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives, Kumar also questioned the status of the commission appointed after discussions in the House. “What are the findings? Who has been held responsible?” he asked.
With IANS inputs