School petitions Supreme Court for social media curbs on minors

A school in Indore has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India requesting the establishment of strict regulatory measures governing children's access to and use of social media platforms. The plea highlights growing concerns about the psychological, developmental, and physical risks posed by unregulated digital media consumption among the younger population.

The petition argues that existing guidelines lack sufficient enforcement mechanisms to protect minors from potentially harmful online content and addictive platform features. It seeks intervention from the highest judicial authority to formulate a comprehensive, legally binding framework that can be uniformly implemented across the country.

The school's move reflects broader anxieties within India's education sector regarding social media's impact on student well-being, academic performance, and mental health. Experts have increasingly documented correlations between excessive social media use and issues such as anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and reduced concentration among children and adolescents.

The petition underscores the gap between existing voluntary guidelines issued by social media platforms and the need for statutory protections. The school contends that a court-mandated regulatory framework is essential to ensure uniform standards that prioritize child safety across all digital platforms operating in India.