SriLanka, March 6 -- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today proposed a ban on social media use for children below the age of 16 in the state. The announcement was made as the Chief Minister presented his 17th budget.

"With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16," Siddaramaiah said.

The proposal comes amid rising concerns about excessive screen time, declining academic focus, behavioural changes, and mental health challenges among teenagers. The government believes that unrestricted access to smartphones has contributed significantly to social media obsession, exposing children to harmful content and, in some cases, sub...