The Andhra Pradesh government is working on a draft legislation to introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework to restrict access to social media for children below 13 years and design an age-appropriate digital environment for teenagers.
A group of ministers headed by state education and information technology minister Nara Lokesh discussed the points of the draft legislation that balances digital access with child safety, creativity, and mental well-being.
The proposed legislative framework aims to align Andhra Pradesh with emerging global standards in digital child protection.
Lokesh asked officials to study the best practices from countries such as Singapore, Australia, and Denmark to build a robust legal and technological framework tailored to India's needs.
The government is evaluating the use of secure age-verification mechanisms, including 'age tokens' integrated with DigiLocker.
Lokesh called for strengthening of enforcement under existing IT laws and appointing of adjudicating authorities at the earliest.
The group of ministers suggested that the government roll out large-scale awareness initiatives across the state, including introduction of digital safety education during 'No Bag Day' in schools.
