UNICEF Expert Says Blanket Social Media Ban for Children May Not Work in India

Agencies, Feb 19, 2026, New Delhi: Blanket bans on children accessing social media won’t work in all countries, with their effectiveness depending on the development levels and socio-economic realities of various economies, Thomas Davin, global innovation director at UNICEF, told ET in an interview on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit.

“Across the globe, governments are debating how young is ‘too young’ to use social media, with some introducing age-related restrictions across platforms,” Davin said. “These restrictions reflect genuine concern: children are facing bullying, exploitation, and exposure to harmful content online with negative impacts on their mental health and well-being. The status quo is failing children and overwhelming families.”

Instead of blanket bans, Davin emphasised that school-age children in many developing nations, including India, need access to AI and online services for educational and economic security. He questioned whether age-based restrictions alone would be effective in India, highlighting the critical role of technology and digital services in providing learning, connection, and opportunity.

Australia recently implemented a landmark ban restricting social media for children under 16. However, Davin expressed caution, noting that unilateral moves may not suit India’s socio-economic context.

“While UNICEF welcomes the growing commitment to children’s online safety, social media bans come with their own risks, and they may even backfire. Social media is not a luxury – for many children, especially those who are isolated or marginalised, it is a lifeline providing access to learning, connection, play, and self-expression,” he explained.

Davin pointed out that many children will still access social media through workarounds, shared devices, or less regulated platforms, making blanket bans technically ineffective and potentially pushing them into unsafe online spaces.

He recommended that age restrictions be part of a broader, multi-layered approach that protects children from harm, respects their rights to privacy and participation, and encourages platforms to invest in child safety.

“Regulation should not replace the responsibility of companies to improve platform design and content moderation,” Davin said. “UNICEF calls on governments, regulators, and companies to work with children and families to build digital environments that are safe, inclusive, and respect children’s rights.”

Key measures highlighted by UNICEF include:

• Government Oversight: Age-related laws should not replace the obligation of companies to proactively protect children online.

• Platform Responsibility: Social media companies must redesign products with child safety at the centre, develop age-appropriate experiences, and invest in effective content moderation.

• Regulatory Action: Regulators must establish systemic measures to prevent and mitigate online harm.

• Child Participation: Decisions on online safety must include the voices and experiences of children, parents, and caregivers.

• Parental Support: Parents need improved digital literacy to guide children in navigating online spaces safely.

Davin added, “UNICEF is committed to working with children, young people, and families to ensure legislation, regulations, and technology design reflect children’s views, needs, and rights. We stand ready to collaborate with governments, businesses, and communities so every child can safely learn, connect, and thrive in the digital age.”

Rising Concerns Prompt Debate on Social Media Access for Minors in India

India is reportedly considering regulations that could restrict access to platforms like Facebook and Instagram for users under 16. The debate has intensified amid rising concerns over teen mental health, online safety, screen addiction, and exposure to harmful content. Experts note that stricter rules could protect young users, but may also impact digital freedom, learning opportunities, and communication.

Why Social Media Bans Are Being Considered

• Mental and Cognitive Health Risks: Excessive use linked to anxiety, depression, ADHD-like symptoms, and attention issues. Children aged 10–15 spend 4–6 hours online daily, with compulsive behaviours rising 30–40% due to engagement-driven algorithms.

• Online Safety Threats: Exposure to cyberbullying, sexual predators, and harmful content. NCRB data shows child-related cyber offences in India rose over 400% between 2019–2023.

• Physical and Social Development Concerns: Sedentary lifestyles, sleep disruption, reduced face-to-face interaction, and eating disorders.

• Algorithmic Manipulation: Platforms optimise for attention, not child well-being. Personalised feeds make disengagement difficult.

Why Blanket Bans Are Ineffective

• Technical Circumvention: VPNs, proxies, and encrypted apps allow easy bypass. VPN usage in the UK rose 1,800% after age-control rollouts.

• Privacy Risks: Age-verification via IDs or biometrics risks data breaches; facial age-estimation tools are 25–35% inaccurate for minors.

• Unsafe Spaces: Bans can drive children to unregulated platforms or the dark web, increasing exposure to harm.

• Exclusion & Inequality: Disproportionately affects girls, LGBTQIA+ youth, rural and marginalised children, restricting access to information and expression.

Recommendations for India

1. Child-Centric Digital Governance: Redesign platforms with child safety by design, mandatory age-appropriate interfaces, and rights-respecting tools.

2. Platform Accountability and Regulation: Shift the burden from children to Big Tech, penalise algorithmic amplification of harmful content, and enact digital competition laws.

3. Privacy-Preserving Age Assurance: Use layered age-assurance systems combining device checks, behavioural signals, and optional ID verification.

4. Strengthening Redressal Mechanisms: Cyber-trained nodal officers, faster grievance redressal, and panic-button tools.

5. Digital Literacy and Mental Health Support: Integrate cyber-safety curricula in schools, provide parental counselling and screen-time guidance.

6. Parental Involvement: Joint parent-child accounts, community-based awareness programmes, and screen-time tools like Google Family Link.

As societies transition from “open access” to “safe access,” India must build a privacy-preserving, child-first digital ecosystem that safeguards children without excluding them from the empowering potential of the digital world. As UNICEF emphasises, “The solution to digital harm is not digital silence, but digital responsibility.”

Additional Insights:

• Adolescent brains are neurologically more vulnerable to algorithmic reward loops.

• UNICEF (2021) warns that blanket bans may violate CRC principles – best interests, participation, and access to information.

• Instagram Teen Safety (2023) showed that features like “Quiet Mode” reduced teen screen time by 20% without bans.

• OECD reports over-regulation can reduce youth digital skill formation by 15–20%.

• Karnataka Cyber Hygiene Curriculum pilot saw a 30% fall in cyber-bullying complaints.