Chennai , 26 July (H.S.):PMK president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has called on the Union government to introduce a nationwide law banning children below the age of 16 from accessing social media, saying such a measure is urgently needed to protect their mental health, physical well-being and academic development.

Drawing attention to growing global efforts to regulate children's online activity, Anbumani said India should adopt a stronger legal framework to shield young users from the harmful effects of excessive social media use. He argued that unrestricted access to digital platforms has emerged as a serious public health and educational concern.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the PMK leader welcomed France's recent decision to restrict social media access for children under 15, describing it as a progressive step towards safeguarding children from digital addiction and inappropriate online content.

Under the French legislation, children below the age of 15 will not be allowed to create new social media accounts from September, while existing accounts belonging to children in that age group will be suspended from January, when the law comes into full effect. France has become the first European Union nation to introduce such a restriction.

Anbumani noted that Australia had already implemented a nationwide social media ban for children in December 2025. He added that Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have adopted similar measures, while more than 50 countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Germany and Denmark, are examining comparable restrictions.

Referring to India, he said parents have repeatedly expressed concern over children's growing exposure to explicit content, cyberbullying and addictive online behaviour. He cited the 2025-26 Economic Survey, which warned that excessive social media use contributes to anxiety, stress, declining self-esteem and other mental health concerns, while recommending tighter regulation of children's online activity.

The PMK leader also said educators have observed a steady decline in students' concentration, reading habits and academic performance due to social media addiction. Excessive screen time, he said, has reduced attention spans, encouraged unhealthy comparisons and replaced outdoor sports with online gaming, contributing to rising obesity and vitamin D deficiency among children.

Although Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa have announced plans to regulate children's social media use, Anbumani argued that such restrictions may not withstand legal scrutiny because communication falls under the Union List. He urged the Centre to enact a uniform national law banning social media access for children below 16 to ensure their healthy growth and future development.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman