Karnataka govt weighs mobile phone ban for children below 16: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: The state government is considering a ban on mobile phone usage for children below the age of 16, citing rising concerns over addiction, exposure to harmful content and behavioural issues among minors, The New Indian Express reported on Monday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah raised the issue during a meeting with vice-chancellors of state universities on Saturday. He sought their views on whether restricting mobile phone use among children under 16 could bring about positive behavioural changes.
He cited the examples of Australia and some European countries banning the use of social media for children and said the Karnataka government was seriously considering the implementation of the same in the state.
He expressed concern over growing social media addiction and its possible link to issues such as substance abuse among youngsters. He also asked the vice-chancellors to take steps to make their campuses drug-free.
The proposal comes at a time when smartphones have become deeply embedded in the education system, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to digital learning. Schools now rely on mobile phone-based platforms to share homework, study materials and announcements, making the gadgets both an essential academic tool and a growing source of concern for parents and educators.
Mental health professionals and educators have cautioned that an outright ban may be difficult to implement and could have unintended consequences.
Rakhi N. Gopan, a counselling psychologist, said that the impact of mobile usage varies across age groups. Younger children may face attention and cognitive issues due to fast-paced digital content, while teenagers are more vulnerable to social media pressures, online safety risks and algorithm-driven exposure.
Psychologist Saurabh Ramachandran, who works with adolescents, said many adolescents depend on digital devices for schoolwork, peer interaction and daily routines, and abrupt blocking of access may create a sense of loss, anxiety, irritation or secretive behaviour. He suggested that a phased regulation would help families and schools adapt while encouraging healthier digital habits.
Experts emphasised that excessive digital use is a systemic issue involving families, schools, policymakers and technology platforms, rather than a problem that children alone can be expected to solve. Imposing blanket rules without considering systemic realities such as schools sending homework via phones and parents’ limited ability to constantly monitor usage may not be effective, they said.
Instead, they recommend age-appropriate guidelines, digital literacy education and safer online environments. According to them, the goal should be to equip children with the skills to use technology responsibly while safeguarding their wellbeing.
“What we need instead is regulation, guidance and shared responsibility among parents, schools, policymakers and mental health professionals. Any regulation on phone usage should be brought in through a developmentally compatible policy to avoid a one-size-fits-all ban,” Rakhi said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Vijay slams Stalin, says CM''s real friends are ''bribe, corruption''
Vellore (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Launching yet another scathing attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, TVK founder Vijay on Monday alleged that the DMK president's real friends are "bribe, corruption, and eyeing political gains."
Vijay, who has been mounting sharp attacks against the DMK and Stalin in particular, dared the CM to declare his assets disclosing the financial status before he stepped into politics.
"What was the source. Was it your hard earned money or it was amassed after you came to power? Can you declare it openly," the actor asked the CM and added that if he raised the issue of corruption, then all corrupt elements would "fling mud on us."
But he was not concerned about that because people know about him.
He also accused the chief minister of making false promises to the people and sought to debunk the governing party's claim of having developed the Tamil Nadu into a "superstar state".
He alleged Stalin's "real friends are bribe, corruption, and eyeing political gains."
The CM and the ruling party has often said that the state registered, under the DMK rule, double-digit economic growth rate of 11.19 per cent (2024-25).
Addressing a meeting of party functionaries here, Vijay termed the Assembly polls due in April this year as a "surprising election" as all parties in the state are allegedly teamed up against him and reiterated that the contest was between the DMK and TVK only.
Flaying the DMK's poll narrative of polls as a fight between "Tamil Nadu and Delhi--NDA," he said the battle was actually between the state's people and corruption and alleged that the DMK government was "inept."
The Assembly election is "a war between Vijay and Stalin," he said, and reiterated his refrain that TVK is a "pure force" and accused the DMK yet again as an "evil force".
Rejecting the DMK's claim of having developed Tamil Nadu into a superstar state, Vijay, the chief of the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) said that the state was "such a superb" on during the times of iconic leaders K Kamaraj, CN Annadurai and M G Ramachandran.
Dubbing the DMK regime as "good-for-nothing ulta model government," he alleged the state has been transformed into a super-standup comedian-run state.
The TVK chief, targeting the CM again, said that he was not concerned about his personal life.
"Be what you want to be. But your governance is flawed and not required for TN," he alleged.
The actor-politician claimed that Tamil Nadu meant Vijay and he represented the entire state.
Referring to Stalin's statement that he had no foes in politics and that all were his friends, Vijay asked, "then why blame me for Karur stampede," referring to the tragedy during a TVK rally that killed 41 persons and injured many.
Further, he asked: "Why refuse venue and permission for TVK (rallies and events), if we are friends...you did everything and blamed us for Karur tragedy."
Praising people for superb clarity, he said he would visit every village and personally meet the people once the TVK formed the government following a huge win in the 2026 Assembly election.
Vijay, who arrived to a rousing reception by party workers at Agaramcheri village near the Pallikonda toll plaza on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway in this district, administered a pledge to the TVK members.
"No one can buy us, our vote is for (party symbol) whistle. We won't believe anyone and get deceived. We won't deviate from our words. This is the truth," Vijay said and asked his party workers to repeat after him.
Vijay reiterated that the TVK's stand was secularism and social justice.
He continued to wear his trademark white shirt and a sandal-like mild coloured trouser, while sporting his usual stubble.
