India Considering Age-Based Restrictions With Social Media Platforms, Says IT Minister

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 07:28 IST

India may impose age limits on social media, following other nations, according to Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

After Australia, India is now considering age-based restrictions with social media companies, Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.

“This is something which has now been accepted by many countries, that age-based [restrictions] … has to be there," Vaishnaw said during a press conference at the AI Impact Summit in the national capital.

“Right now we are in conversation regarding deepfakes, regarding age-based restrictions, with the various social media platforms," Vaishnaw said, adding that the government is discussing “the right way" to enforce the regulation.

However, the minister did not name any specific platforms or companies that are in conversation with the central government.

Any restrictions in India — a country with around 1.4 billion population — could have a major impact on social media firms including Meta and Google, which enjoy an enormous user base in the country.

AUSTRALIA BANS SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UNDER-16s 

The move comes as several governments are considering age-based restrictions with social media platforms, given the rising cases of deepfakes, digital arrests, and online blackmailing.

Recently, in December, the Australian government banned users under 16 from accessing major social media platforms. Australia emerged as the first nation in the world to enact such a rule.

Denmark last year approved a new rule to bar users under 15 from social media. In addition, Spain this month announced it would ban under-16s from social media.

Meta’s Facebook and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms in India, while Google’s YouTube also boasts a huge audience.

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