Indian parents back social media ban for under-16s: New UK survey

London: Parents in India have strongly backed a social media ban for under-16s, logging the second-highest score at 75 % after Malaysia (77 %) in new worldwide research released by the UK-based education charity Varkey Foundation on Tuesday.

The Family First analysis for the foundation follows Australia’s recent social media ban for under-16s at a time when other nations are exploring similar measures. In India, majority of Gen Z respondents (73 %) also supported such a ban – the highest of all the countries polled. This is particularly noteworthy given they are the first generation to have grown up with social media from childhood, the research highlighted.

“This research highlights a growing tension many families are experiencing in the digital age,” said Sunny Varkey, Founder of Family First and the Varkey Foundation.

“Parents throughout the world are increasingly concerned about the impact social media may be having on their children.

Our aim with Family First is not simply to debate bans, but to start a broader conversation about how technology is shaping family relationships and the values young people grow up with,” he said.

Research agency We Are Family was commissioned to interview over 6,000 parents, over 6,000 of their children aged between nine and 18, 3,000 grandparents and 3,000 Gen Z participants in January and February 2026. The participating countries in the research included India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Sweden, UAE, UK, and US.

While Malaysia, India and France led the social media ban charts, Japan (38 %) recorded the lowest level of support for such a move followed by Nigeria (39 %) and the US (51 %). In Australia, the world’s first country to ban social media for under-16s, 66 % of parents back the measures.

The Family First data reveals a divide between parents and children around the world, despite India bucking the trend.

Globally, just 37 % of under-18s support a ban, creating a 23-point gap with their parents. The widest generational gaps are seen in Australia (34 points), Sweden (33 points) and Canada (32 points). Support for the ban among young people is also highest in Malaysia and India (both 62%) and China (50%), and lowest in Japan (20 %), Argentina, and Sweden (26%).