Karnataka state government shifts focus on social media bans for children

The Karnataka state government has stated that any decision to ban or restrict social media access for children falls under the jurisdiction of India's central government. Officials confirmed that the state will now seek federal guidance rather than pursuing an independent, blanket ban that was previously proposed.

This shift follows an October 15 ruling by the Supreme Court, which emphasized that internet access is a fundamental right. The court warned that age-based restrictions often require excessive data collection and monitoring, which risks violating user privacy. State officials acknowledged that this ruling aligns with the difficulty of enforcing content restrictions on devices outside of state control.

Industry analysts have pointed to the technical impossibility of enforcing state-level internet restrictions. Geolocation data, which could theoretically distinguish users by state, is notoriously inaccurate, particularly near borders. Experts argue that fragmented, state-specific regulations are impractical, suggesting that national policy is the only viable path forward.

Karnataka's IT Minister, Priyank Kharge, noted that the state is shifting its attention toward algorithm-based regulation instead of outright bans. Meanwhile, the central government is reportedly working on a three-tier framework to regulate online activity for minors, aiming to replace the current patchwork of state-level proposals.