iWorld
Goa govt considers social media ban for minors
GOA: Goa may become the first Indian state to draw a hard line on children’s social media use. The coastal state is studying Australia’s landmark law that bars under-16s from accessing social media platforms, signalling a tougher stance on online safety as anxieties over young people’s mental health intensify.
Rohan Khaunte, Goa’s information technology minister, said the state government is examining Australia’s regulatory framework to assess whether a similar restriction could be implemented locally. “If possible, we will implement a similar ban on children below 16 for the usage of social media,” he told reporters, adding that details would follow after further evaluation.
The discussion comes at a time when India, home to more than a billion internet users, has no national-level restrictions or formal guidelines governing minors’ access to social media. Yet concern over excessive screen time, online bullying and digital addiction among children has grown sharper, pushing states to explore their own solutions.
Australia set a global precedent last year by becoming the first country to formally prohibit social media use for children under 16. The law places the onus on platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from holding accounts, backed by the threat of hefty fines. Within its first month, nearly 4.7 million teenage accounts were reportedly deactivated, reigniting global debate over child safety, digital rights and platform accountability.
Goa’s move, though coming from India’s smallest state by area with a population of about 1.5 million, has already resonated beyond its borders. Andhra Pradesh, a southern state with more than 53 million people, has indicated it is assessing similar regulatory options. Media reports say the state has constituted a panel of senior ministers to study international models and submit recommendations within a month.
Any state-level ban, however, would face legal and practical hurdles. Goa is examining whether such restrictions are viable under India’s central information technology laws, which govern digital platforms nationwide. Enforcement, too, remains contentious, with critics arguing that children could simply bypass age checks through technical loopholes.
At the national level, the ministry of electronics and information technology has not publicly commented on the developments. Major technology companies, including Meta, Google and X, have also remained silent on the prospect of India-wide or state-specific restrictions.
Globally, Goa is not alone in looking to Canberra for cues. France, Indonesia and Malaysia are closely watching Australia’s rollout, with France having already passed a related bill in its National Assembly. The momentum suggests a broader international shift towards stricter regulation of children’s digital lives.
For now, Goa’s proposal remains under study. But the signal is clear: as India’s digital population grows younger and larger, the pressure on governments to act is rising fast. Whether through bans, guardrails or new rules of engagement, the era of laissez-faire childhood scrolling may be nearing its end.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
