Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Reply on Social Media Age Limits for Children
The Supreme Court on Friday, October 16, issued notice to the Centre on a public interest petition seeking a binding framework of age-based restrictions and safeguards for children using social media. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi tagged the plea with a pending petition on a similar issue and listed the matter for December 3.
What the Petition Asks For
The petition was filed by The Emerald Heights International School in Indore and its Director (Academics), Siddharth Singh Girnar. The respondents include the Union of India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The plea proposes a graded model: no accounts for children under 13, verifiable parental consent and child-safe settings for those aged 13 to 16, and access with data protection and content safeguards for those aged 16 to 18. It also seeks privacy-preserving age verification and quick removal of harmful material.
The Legal Gap Flagged by the Petitioners
The petitioners argue that platforms rely on a self-declared minimum age of 13, while the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 treats anyone under 18 as a child. They say the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021 set no minimum age and do not require parental consent.
The petition describes the present framework as “fragmented, incomplete and inadequately operationalised”. It also notes that some states have begun framing their own rules, and argues that a uniform central approach is needed.
Why It Matters for Families
For parents, the case could eventually shape how children sign up for apps, what settings are switched on by default and how complaints about bullying or harassment are handled. Schools, which often deal with the effects of online abuse among students, have a direct stake in the outcome.
The issue of notice is an early stage. It does not mean the court has accepted the petitioners’ proposals, and no interim directions were reported. The Centre’s reply will set out the government’s position on age checks and platform duties. Concerns about online risks to young people have featured in earlier IPB coverage, including the growing threat of cyber crime in India and concerns over gaming addiction.
The matter will next be heard on December 3, when the court is expected to take up both petitions together. Any framework that follows would need to balance child safety with privacy and access to information. More updates are on our Daily Updates page.
Based on reporting by The Assam Tribune (IANS) and LawBeat.
Image: The Assam Tribune / IANS (file).
