Andhra government evaluating 'age tokens' to restrict social media access for children under 13

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government is evaluating the use of 'age tokens' to restrict access of social media to children. Last month, speaking in the state Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that the government is considering steps to restrict social media access for children under 13, likely within the next 90 days. .

As part of enforcement architecture, the government is evaluating the use of secure age-verification mechanisms, including “age tokens” integrated with DigiLocker.

This could enable platforms to authenticate user age without compromising privacy, a critical step toward implementing age restrictions at scale.

Age tokens in social media are privacy-preserving digital signals, often utilising cryptographic tokens, blockchain, or Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP), that verify a user meets legal age requirements without sharing personal data. They allow platforms to prove a user is over 18 or under 13 via several methods.

IT & Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh, on Thursday directed officials to prepare a comprehensive regulatory framework to restrict access to social media for children below 13 years and to design an age-appropriate digital environment for teenagers.

Chairing a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting with senior officials and representatives from leading social media platforms at his Undavalli residence, the minister called for the drafting of a legislation that balances digital access with child safety, creativity, and mental well-being.

Lokesh emphasised the need for a graded, age-based content access system, particularly for users aged 13–16, ensuring that children are not exposed to harmful or inappropriate content.

The proposed framework aims to align Andhra Pradesh with emerging global standards in digital child protection.

Officials have been tasked with studying best practices from countries such as Singapore, Australia, and Denmark to build a robust legal and technological framework tailored to India’s needs.

The minister underscored that strict action will be taken against individuals posting abusive or hateful content, particularly targeting women.

Strengthening enforcement under existing IT laws, including Section 46 of the IT Act, was highlighted, with directions issued to appoint adjudicating authorities at the earliest.

Recognising that regulation alone is insufficient, the government will roll out large-scale awareness initiatives across the state like digital safety education during “No Bag Day” in schools, awareness sessions for parents and students during Mega PTMs held twice annually and outreach to women through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on online safety and cyber risks

Representatives from major social media platforms briefed the GoM on existing safeguards for restricting sensitive content and handling user complaints. They expressed willingness to collaborate closely with the Andhra Pradesh government in implementing these measures.

The state will also seek public feedback and submit recommendations to the Government of India on aspects that fall under the central legislative domain, indicating a potential pathway toward national-level policy evolution.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) in Andhra Pradesh, formed by Naidu in early September 2025 to bolster social media accountability, recently directed officials to study child-protection policies in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and France. The panel aims to recommend a new bill addressing gaps in existing laws on online vitriol and misinformation.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Vangalapudi Anitha, Nadendla Manohar, and Satyakumar Yadav, along with senior officials from GAD, I&PR, Cyber Crime, and Digital Corporation. Representatives from global and domestic platforms including Meta, YouTube, X, ShareChat, and Josh also participated.