India in Talks With Social Media Platforms on Age Restrictions and Safety Rules
India’s central government is currently holding discussions with major social media companies about age-based social media restrictions and stricter content safety standards. Officials say these talks are part of efforts to explore how to protect children and young users online by limiting access to certain platforms or features by age.
This conversation about age-based social media regulation reflects growing concern among policymakers that children may be vulnerable to harmful or addictive online content. India is considering ideas similar to what other countries have already introduced, including minimum age restrictions for popular platforms.
“This is something which has now been accepted by many countries that age-based regulation has to be there,” Vaishnaw said while speaking to reporters during the event.
Officials highlighted that India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act already includes concepts that differentiate content availability based on age, and these conversations now aim to go further with age-curbing methods.
“I think we need a much stronger regulation on deepfakes,” Vaishnaw said, stressing that the issue is growing and that protecting children and society from these harms is a priority.
This emphasis on deepfake regulation connects to recent changes in India’s IT rules that require platforms to label synthetic media clearly and comply with government takedown requests more promptly.
By engaging with platforms such as Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok, Indian authorities are aiming to shape age-based social media regulations that suit the country’s context, cultural norms, and legal framework.
The talks now underway could lead to new policies or guidelines that change how platforms verify age, restrict access for younger users, and handle youth safety in a more robust way.
This conversation about age-based social media regulation reflects growing concern among policymakers that children may be vulnerable to harmful or addictive online content. India is considering ideas similar to what other countries have already introduced, including minimum age restrictions for popular platforms.
What the IT Minister Has Said About Age-Based Rules
Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has spoken publicly about these discussions at a press briefing on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Vaishnaw noted that governments around the world are increasingly accepting the idea that age-based social media regulations must be part of the digital landscape.“This is something which has now been accepted by many countries that age-based regulation has to be there,” Vaishnaw said while speaking to reporters during the event.
Officials highlighted that India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act already includes concepts that differentiate content availability based on age, and these conversations now aim to go further with age-curbing methods.
Talks Are Also About Deepfakes and Content Safety
Alongside age curbs, the government is also focusing on how to address deepfakes and manipulated content on social media. Vaishnaw explained that discussions with tech companies include ways to curb the spread of harmful AI-generated videos and other deceptive media.“I think we need a much stronger regulation on deepfakes,” Vaishnaw said, stressing that the issue is growing and that protecting children and society from these harms is a priority.
This emphasis on deepfake regulation connects to recent changes in India’s IT rules that require platforms to label synthetic media clearly and comply with government takedown requests more promptly.
Global Context and Regulatory Trends
India’s move to talk with social media platforms on age-based limits follows steps seen in other countries. For instance, Australia has already introduced a ban on social media use for minors under a certain age, and several European nations are exploring similar measures to limit access for teens.By engaging with platforms such as Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok, Indian authorities are aiming to shape age-based social media regulations that suit the country’s context, cultural norms, and legal framework.
What This Could Mean for Social Media Users in India
At present, there is no law in India that completely stops children below a certain age from joining social media platforms. However, under existing data protection rules, tech firms are required to get verifiable parental consent before processing data for anyone under the age of 18.The talks now underway could lead to new policies or guidelines that change how platforms verify age, restrict access for younger users, and handle youth safety in a more robust way.
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