The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Central government and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on a public interest litigation seeking a national regulatory framework to protect minors from digital risks on social media platforms. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the child rights body. The plea, filed by Emerald Heights International School in Indore and its director of academics, Siddharth Singh Girnar, has been tagged with a connected petition, with the next hearing scheduled for December 7.
Mandatory Age Checks and Parental Consent Proposed
The petition urges the Centre to establish clear rules governing children’s access to social media by regulating account creation and usage based on age thresholds. It recommends a complete ban on account creation for children below a prescribed age, accompanied by regulated access for older minors. The plea argues for mandatory age verification systems, age-appropriate content filters, and verifiable parental consent before minors are permitted to join online platforms.
According to the petitioners, an enforceable statutory mechanism is necessary to shield children from abuse and inappropriate material. The plea contends that inadequate safeguards infringe upon constitutional protections under Articles 14, 15(3), 21, and 21A, which guarantee equality, special provisions for children, personal liberty, and education. These arguments remain contentions presented by the petitioners, as the top court has delivered no final ruling on the merits of the case.
Widespread Risks of Online Exploitation and Distraction
The petition highlights how underage account holders routinely encounter strangers, exposing them to cyberbullying, online harassment, grooming, extortion, and the unauthorized distribution of private images. It also points to the harmful psychological fallout of prolonged screen exposure, linking it to sleep disruptions, diminished academic focus, anxiety, body-image concerns, and social withdrawal among school-age children.
In addition to relational pressures over online popularity, the plea warns against minors encountering violent, self-harm, or sexually explicit content. The petitioners state that these digital hazards often remain hidden, making it difficult for households and educators to intervene effectively without systemic guardrails embedded within the technology itself.
Responsibility Placed on Platform Design and Regulation
Emphasizing that the burden of online child safety cannot fall solely on families and educational institutions, the petitioners argue that tech platform designs actively encourage addictive engagement. The petition demands greater corporate accountability from digital intermediaries, proposing safety standards tailored to developmental stages alongside government oversight.
The upcoming responses from the Union ministries and the apex child rights commission will form the foundation for the court’s review in December. The proceedings will evaluate how mechanisms such as verifiable consent and age verification can be practically enforced, while the court weighs the necessity of national guidelines against the growing presence of children in online spaces.
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