The Karnataka government on March 23 released a draft policy that looks to curb digital usage among students between classes 9 and 12 amid concerns over the effect of social media on minors’ mental health.This comes after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during his budget speech on March 6, said the state is planning to ban social media among children aged under 16 — a move first implemented by Australia. The draft policy for Responsible Digital Use Among Students, however, is a separate move. Consultations on this had had begun before Siddaramaiah’s announcement.And unlike the under-16 social media blanket ban mooted by the chief minister, this draft policy limits its scope to students in senior classes and increases the role of schools and parents. Its suggestions include capping screen time to one hour, cutting off internet access after 7 pm and implementing Aadhaar-enabled sign-ups to verify age and authenticity.Here’s a detailed look at what the draft proposes and why the Karnataka government implemented it.Why has Karnataka launched a digital use policy?Concerns have been growing over children’s increasing use of social media and the risks accompanying it — such as exposure to harmful content, online grooming and cybercrime.According to Karnataka’s draft policy, Indian studies indicate that nearly 25% of adolescents show signs of internet addiction, with many reporting increased anxiety, sleep disturbances and attention problems.The excessive phone usage, it said citing studies, was also affecting the attention span, emotional regulation and overall development of children.Story continues below this adLast year, the Karnataka government formed a committee to address these harms.Also Read | How India is trying to regulate children’s social media use — and why gaps remainThe policy has been developed jointly by the state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare, the Karnataka State Mental Health Authority, the Department of Education, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Science (NIMHANS). Consultations began in October 2025 with over 70 experts, including health professionals, educators and NGOs.The committee has stated that the aim of the draft policy is to foster digital well-being, emotional regulation and screen-time awareness in schools.Story continues below this adAustralia became the first country to ban social media for children in December. Britain, Denmark and Greece are also studying the issue and similar considerations are taking shape in other states in India, one of the world’s largest social media markets.How is Karnataka looking to regulate screen time among students?The draft policy focuses on not only the state government, but also schools, teachers, students and parents to help address excessive digital use.The policy calls for the state to issue guidelines to schools regarding the use of technology. It also calls for teacher and parent training programmes, and creating awareness among students. It says schools must coordinate with parents about healthy technology use. Here’s a look at the responsibilities it lays out for these stakeholdersSchools: Schools must incorporate digital well-being and social media literacy into the curriculum. Besides creating awareness around digital privacy, schools must frame and implement a digital use policy with a focus on cyberbullying, moderating digital exposure and limiting recreational screen time to not more than one hour per day outside schoolwork.Story continues below this adThe policy also says schools must be encouraged to adopt traditional methods of communication (such as a diary system) instead of direct WhatsApp contact with students. Every school must constitute a Digital Wellness Committee which must include the principal or vice-principal, counsellor or mental health professional, designated teachers, parent representative, student representatives and a cybercrime police officer. The schools must also create a unit which would oversee awareness drives, resolve cyber incidents, and track the implementation of digital detox activities. Schools must also carry out offline activities including tech-free periods, digital detox weeks or “offline joy” days.Also Read | Meta, YouTube found liable for ‘addiction’ in the US. Could it have implications in India?Teachers: The committee has recommended training programmes for school teachers so that they can tackle technology overuse by students. Teachers are expected to monitor signs of digital distress and escalate cases where emotional or behavioral consequences are observed.The draft policy also recommends that teachers conduct discussions among students to discuss tech addiction and cyberbullying and implement peer-monitoring systems.Story continues below this adThe policy also suggests that teachers promote offline classes, digital hygiene and screentime balance.Parents: The draft policy says that parents too have an important role in managing children’s screen use. It suggests that teachers and school representatives offer structured guidance to families.Parents themselves must enforce good modelling behaviours to the children such as setting boundaries on their own screen use. It says parents must be emotionally available for the children and family. The draft policy also calls for a focus on increasing awareness among parents in rural areas.