Supreme Court seeks Centre's stance on age restrictions for children's social media

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union government seeking its response on a public interest litigation that seeks to impose age-based restrictions on social media platforms to protect children from digital harms. The court's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the impact of unregulated social media access on minors in India.

The petition before the court seeks specific safeguards to address the vulnerability of children to online exploitation, cyberbullying, and exposure to inappropriate content on social media platforms. The plea highlights the need for regulatory frameworks that would prevent underage users from accessing platforms without proper verification and parental oversight.

This move by the Supreme Court reflects the judiciary's increasing focus on child protection in the digital age. Multiple studies have documented the adverse psychological and developmental effects of excessive social media use among children, making the issue one of significant public interest.

The central government's response to the petition is now awaited. The matter is expected to consider how existing regulations, including the Information Technology Act and the proposed Digital Personal Data Protection Act, can be strengthened to specifically address child safety online. The court's decision could potentially set a precedent for balancing children's digital access with their protection from online harms.