Supreme Court seeks government response on social media child safety framework

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday issued notices to multiple government agencies following a public interest litigation filed by an Indore-based school over the need for stronger child protection measures in the digital space.

Emerald Heights International School and its director of academics filed the petition, which seeks to compel authorities to establish a comprehensive and enforceable national framework protecting minors from risks including grooming, sexual exploitation, and cyberbullying on social media platforms.

The bench directed the ministries of women and child development and law and justice, along with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, to submit their responses to the petition. The matter has been consolidated with related pending litigation on the subject.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 7, when it will review the submissions from government bodies and the NCPCR. The petition argues that continued inaction by authorities in regulating social media platforms exposes children to foreseeable and preventable harms.

This development reflects growing judicial scrutiny of India's regulatory framework governing digital platforms and their impact on vulnerable populations, particularly minors accessing social media.