AP Assembly Plans Social Media Ban for Minors
The Andhra Pradesh government has taken a decisive step toward digital safety by announcing a forthcoming ban on social media for children. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stated that the state will implement a restriction for children under the age of 13 within the next 90 days. This move follows a formal proposal by IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh, aimed at protecting young minds from the potential mental and psychological risks associated with early social media exposure.
The Chief Minister highlighted that while the immediate focus is on children under 13, the government is also actively debating whether to extend this limit to teenagers aged 13 to 16. A final decision on the older age group will be made after consulting with education experts, parents, and psychologists to reach a broad consensus. The primary objective is to curb digital addiction and ensure that children are not exposed to harmful content during their most formative years.
Parallel to this digital safety drive, the Assembly discussed a groundbreaking new population management policy. To address the state’s declining fertility rate, which has dropped to 1.5, the government has proposed a financial incentive of ₹25,000 for families welcoming a second or third child. This policy represents a total shift from previous decades of population control to a new era of “population care,” designed to secure the state’s long-term demographic balance and workforce strength.
Legislative friction also peaked during today’s session as the Chief Minister addressed the ongoing absence of the YSRCP. The Chief Minister criticized the opposition for staying away from the Assembly, emphasizing that legislative duties should come before political demands for “Leader of Opposition” status. Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh shared ambitious plans to invite international theme park developers to the state, targeting locations in Guntur and Visakhapatnam to boost local tourism and employment.
As part of the state’s global outreach, Chief Minister Naidu is set to travel to New Delhi tomorrow to speak at the Raisina Dialogue 2026. He is expected to showcase Andhra Pradesh’s real-time governance and digital infrastructure models to a global audience of policy experts and world leaders. This busy legislative day marks a significant pivot for the state, balancing high-tech development with strong protective measures for its youngest citizens.
