Gandhinagar: Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent endorsement of Australia’s decision to bar children below 16 from using social media, Gujarat govt has initiated an exercise to explore a framework to regulate social media and artificial intelligence (AI) usage among school students in the state.“Following the PM’s appreciation of Australia’s decision, state govt has begun a move to explore how social media and use of AI can be restricted among students below the age of 16 amid concerns over excessive screen time and AI dependence affecting children’s cognitive development,” a senior state govt official confirmed.At the Australia-India leaders’ summit last week, Modi said Australia’s efforts to reform laws related to information technology and social media were “highly inspiring for the world” and added that India was “learning a lot” from those measures.Officials said the ongoing exercise goes beyond social media. While the effects of heavy social media use on children’s mental health, attention span and behaviour have been widely documented, the govt is also looking at the growing reliance of students on AI-powered tools.“There is increasing concern that excessive reliance on AI is affecting students’ ability to think, reason and solve problems independently. These aspects will also be examined when the guidelines are framed,” a source said.The education department is studying regulatory measures adopted in Australia and parts of Europe, as well as steps taken by states such as Andhra Pradesh and Goa, which have begun framing guidelines to discourage or regulate social media use among children below 16.Officials acknowledged that enforcement could be challenging. “There are several challenges. It can be difficult to monitor whether children or adults are using social media on a particular device at home,” an official admitted, adding that mechanisms would require careful deliberation.The govt is expected to consult parents, educationists, child psychologists, digital safety experts and other stakeholders before finalising any framework.Sources said the proposal remains at a preliminary stage. “There is no decision yet on what form the guidelines will eventually take. The Union govt is also contemplating such a move, and we are in touch with it,” an official said.
