The government of Andhra Pradesh is contemplating a law to prohibit school students from using social media, as mentioned by Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha in the state Legislative Assembly. A Cabinet sub-committee has been established to recommend measures for regulating social media and combating false propaganda. This sub-committee has already convened twice to deliberate on various related issues.
The review conducted by the sub-committee included an examination of strategies adopted in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Emphasis has been placed on identifying effective measures that can be implemented within the state. The Home Minister emphasized the enforcement of stringent actions to curb the dissemination of hateful and inappropriate content on social media platforms.
An alarming 1,384 cases related to objectionable social media posts have been registered in the state, leading to the arrest and prosecution of 1,067 individuals. Efforts are underway to introduce a new law aimed at controlling the spread of false information. Last year, a group of ministers was formed to study and propose the necessary legislative framework to hold perpetrators of false propaganda accountable.
Minister for Information Technology and Electronics Nara Lokesh highlighted the government’s commitment to exploring legal frameworks for ensuring ‘age-appropriate access’ to social media. The focus is on creating a safer online environment and mitigating the adverse impact, particularly on women and children. Discussions are ongoing within the group of ministers regarding the potential restriction or prohibition of certain social media platforms for individuals under 16 years of age.
