Will India Ban Social Media For Kids Aged Below 16? Madras HC Urges Govt To Consider Implementing Australia-Like Law

Madras: The Madras High Court has urged the Union government to consider introducing a law on the lines of Australia’s recent legislation that restricts children below 16 years from accessing social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The observation came while the court was hearing a petition highlighting the easy availability of pornographic material online and the growing vulnerability of minors to such content.

A Bench comprising Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan said that until such a law is explored and enacted, authorities must intensify awareness campaigns against child pornography. It directed both the State and Central Commissions for Protection of Child Rights to draw up and implement concrete action plans to reach vulnerable groups through all possible media, noting that existing awareness drives were insufficient.

“Take the message to the vulnerable group through all available medias. We hope that the Commission for Protection of Child Rights both at State and in Central will draw an action plan in this aspect and implement the same in letter and spirit,” the court ordered.

The Court was dealing with a plea that also sought directions to internet service providers (ISPs) to offer mandatory parental control or “parental window” services. It observed that child rights bodies were not fully discharging their responsibilities under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, and pointed out that despite periodic reviews by intermediaries under the IT Rules, 2021, websites hosting child sexual abuse material continue to remain accessible.

Stressing that effective control must begin at the user’s end, the Court said parental control applications on devices are essential to protect children. While it refrained from issuing fresh guidelines in view of similar suggestions earlier made by the Supreme Court, it underlined that children are highly vulnerable online and, therefore, parents bear a greater responsibility to safeguard them from exposure to harmful and illegal content.

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