New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre on a petition seeking stronger safeguards for children below 18 using social media and other digital platforms. The plea calls for mandatory involvement of parents or legal guardians before minors are allowed to access such services.

The petition has been filed by the Just Rights for Children Alliance, which has raised concerns over the safety of children on digital platforms. It points out that platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat allow users to create accounts from the age of 13, while Indian law generally treats those below 18 as minors.

The petition seeks changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, or the framing of specific guidelines to regulate how digital platforms deal with users below 18.

One of the key demands is that digital platforms should not enter into any contract with a minor without the consent and participation of a parent or legal guardian. The plea also seeks mandatory verification or e-KYC of the parent or guardian before such consent is accepted.

The proposed safeguards would apply whenever a child is permitted to use a social media service or another digital platform. According to the petition, the process should have legal recognition and involve the parent or guardian, with the level of verification determined by the nature of the service and the risks associated with it.

The petition argues that children’s unrestricted access to digital platforms can expose them to several forms of online harm. These include online grooming, sexual exploitation, trafficking, behavioural profiling, misuse of personal data, cyberbullying and exposure to age-inappropriate content.

The plea has brought the question of child safety in India’s rapidly expanding digital environment before the Supreme Court. At the centre of the issue is whether existing safeguards are adequate for minors who increasingly use social media, messaging services and other online platforms.

The petitioner has sought a regulatory framework that places greater responsibility on digital platforms while ensuring that parents or legal guardians remain involved in decisions concerning a child’s access.

The court’s notice to the Centre means the government will now have an opportunity to respond to the concerns and demands raised in the petition. The proceedings could have wider implications for how social media companies verify the age of users and obtain parental consent for minors.

Further details on the Centre’s response and the court’s subsequent proceedings are awaited.