New Delhi, Feb 22: The Karnataka government is considering a proposal to restrict mobile phone use among students below 16 years of age, amid concerns over rising social media addiction, NDTV reported.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah raised the issue during a meeting with vice chancellors of government universities, seeking their views on the feasibility of such a move.
“Today we are discussing this, and as you are all Vice Chancellors here, I seek your opinion. Children are falling prey to drugs. Also, in line with Australia and some European countries, there is a thought to ban mobile phones among students. I want your opinion on this. We are looking at this for children below 16, not adults. Many of them are falling prey to social media addiction,” the Chief Minister said.
According to NDTV, the proposal follows growing concerns about excessive screen time affecting teenagers’ academic performance, behaviour and mental health. The state government believes unrestricted smartphone access has fuelled social media obsession and exposed children to harmful content. Officials said formal feedback has been sought to assess how such a restriction could be implemented, including enforcement mechanisms and possible exemptions for academic use.
