How many more children must die for a "like"? This question is heartbreaking. But India will have to face it.

Governments worldwide are waking up. Australia has imposed a nationwide social media ban on those under 16. Accounts deactivated. Platforms warned. New Zealand is also bringing in a similar law. In Germany, the CDU party has proposed a minimum age of 14, with strict age verification. The CDU's proposal calls for national and European laws that implement robust, data-protection-compliant age verification systems, going beyond mere self-declaration. Non-compliance should incur heavy fines.

Read in Hindi: क्या 16 साल से कम उम्र वालों के लिए सोशल मीडिया बैन कर देना चाहिए?

Additionally, it has called for uniform age standards across Europe to prevent loopholes. The party emphasises digital literacy education in schools, teaching children about algorithms, cyberbullying, and online conspiracies. Parents and the community should also be included in this. France, Denmark, Spain, and Britain are imposing increasing restrictions. And India?

We scroll. We debate. We procrastinate. Meanwhile, reels keep spinning. Algorithms hunt. Childhood is endangered. Let's not pretend this is mere entertainment. Social media is no playground. It's a profit machine. Algorithms reward risk. Danger goes viral. Caution doesn't trend.

In America, teenagers died attempting viral challenges. One hung onto a folding table behind a speeding car. Another fell from the trunk of a moving car. All for views. For digital applause.

The "Blackout Challenge" claimed the lives of children as young as 12. Children are trying to impress strangers by self-strangulation. Is this innovation? Or madness? India is not exempt. In Madhya Pradesh, a young person fell 50 feet while making a "Golden Hour" reel. In Mumbai, an influencer fell into a gorge while creating content. Another youth attempted a fire stunt. He was badly burned. These are not isolated incidents. This is a culture of digital daredevilry. And our children are its weakest link.

Cyberbullying has become poison, cruel and relentless. The school bell doesn't stop it. Classroom walls can't contain it. Studies say victims of cyberbullying are twice as likely to attempt suicide. Excessive social media use is linked to sadness, helplessness, and self-harm. The phone in a teenager's hand becomes a weapon. Anonymous. Ruthless. Nonstop.

Sextortion gangs trap 13-year-old boys. Online predators lure children through games and chats. Violent groups recruit minors into dark networks. Global police reports detail thousands of cases. Children forced into self-harm. Blackmailed. Pushed to suicide. Yet we say, "Digital India must grow." Yes, it must. But why should our children bear the brunt?

The World Health Organisation states that 11 per cent of adolescents exhibit problematic social media use. Addictive habits. Disrupted sleep. Falling grades. Anxiety. Depression. Since 2010, when smartphones proliferated, depression among teenagers has rapidly increased. A connection? A coincidence? Or a consequence?

In India, where the mental health system is already weak, can we afford this silent epidemic? Let's be honest. Parents are worried. Schools are unprepared. Platforms are unaccountable. Age limits exist only on paper. Children bypass them in seconds. If there are age restrictions on alcohol and driving, why not on digital platforms that hijack attention?

The arguments against a ban are the same old ones. "Children need digital skills." "A ban will drive them underground." "Enforcement is difficult." Yes, it is difficult. But difficulty is no excuse for inaction.

Australia took action. Germany is demanding strong verification and heavy fines. European countries are uniting to close loopholes. Why is India lagging? We talk about a demographic dividend. But a dividend requires healthy minds. We celebrate young innovators. But innovation requires focus, not shattered attention spans. This isn't technophobia. This is about timing. Under 16 is a formative age. Impulse control is still developing. Identity is fragile. Peer pressure is intense. Will we let Silicon Valley's algorithms shape those minds?

A calibrated approach is possible. Strict age verification. Heavy penalties for platforms. Digital literacy in schools, teaching about algorithms, manipulation, and cyberbullying. Parent awareness programs. Gradual access with safeguards. But without firm legal boundaries, everything remains advisory. And advisories fall weak before billion-dollar tech giants.

India banned Chinese apps overnight in the name of national security. Can't it do the same for the security of children? The question is clear. Do we save profits? Or children?

Social media for under-16s should be restricted. Strict. Clear. Legal. Because every viral tragedy is a warning. Every cyberbullying suicide is a scream. Every sextortion case is a stain. How many more alerts do we need?