Andhra Pradesh to Restrict Social Media Access for Minors, Combat Online Abuse

• Andhra Pradesh government plans to introduce strict regulations to limit social media access for children of a specified age.
• Education Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted concerns about online harassment, abuse faced by women, and children's excessive usage impacting education.
• A Group of Ministers meeting was held to study legal frameworks for age-appropriate access and accountability in social media.
• Major social media platforms like Meta, X, Google, and Sharechat have been invited to the next meeting to discuss global best practices.
• Officials are instructed to study policies from Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and France regarding social media bans for minors and action against fake content.

Why It Matters: Andhra Pradesh aims to make social media safer for women and children by restricting minor access and curbing online abuse.