An ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced a proposal to ban social media access for children

bringing India into a widening global debate over the impact of online platforms on young people’s health, safety and data privacy.

Lawmaker L.S.K. Devarayalu said the bill aims to address what he described as rising addiction among children and India’s role as a major source of data for foreign technology companies.

“Not only are our children becoming addicted to social media, but India is also one of the world’s largest producers of data for foreign platforms,” Devarayalu told Reuters on Friday. He added that this data is being used to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems, while the economic and strategic benefits largely accrue outside India.

The proposal comes as governments worldwide consider stricter rules on children’s use of social media. Australia last month became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by technology companies and free-speech groups. France’s National Assembly this week backed a ban for children under 15, while Britain, Denmark and Greece are also studying similar measures.

Devarayalu’s 15-page Social Media (Age Restrictions and Online Safety) Bill, which is not public but was reviewed by Reuters, would prohibit anyone under 16 from creating or maintaining a social media account. Platforms would be required to disable accounts found to belong to underage users. The bill places full responsibility for verifying users’ ages on social media companies.

Facebook owner Meta, YouTube parent Alphabet and X did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday. Meta has previously said it supports laws that strengthen parental oversight, but warned that outright bans could push teenagers toward less safe, unregulated online spaces.

India’s IT ministry also did not respond to a request for comment.

India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market, with around 750 million devices and about one billion internet users, making it a critical growth market for global social media firms. Currently, the country does not enforce a minimum age for accessing social media platforms.

The issue gained further attention this week after India’s chief economic adviser said the country should consider age-based access limits to address what he called “digital addiction.”

While Devarayalu’s proposal is a private member’s bill and not introduced by a federal minister, such bills often spark parliamentary debate and can influence future legislation. Devarayalu belongs to the Telugu Desam Party, which governs the southern state of Andhra Pradesh and plays a key role in supporting Modi’s coalition government.