Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has begun preliminary discussions with relevant stakeholders on proposals to ban or restrict social media access for children under the age of 16.
Speaking in Parliament, the Prime Minister said the discussions are focusing on the impact of social media on children’s mental health, physical well-being, social development and digital safety, while also taking into account emerging global trends and policies.
She said the government is currently preparing a set of national guidelines aimed at restricting access to social media for children under the age of 16. At the same time, awareness programmes are being conducted to promote the mental and physical well-being of children and educate families about safe online practices.
The Prime Minister also revealed that the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has launched a special programme to help children under the age of 18 overcome mobile phone addiction, adding that the initiative has already shown positive results.
