The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on a public interest litigation seeking a comprehensive national framework to protect children from the alleged risks associated with social media platforms.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the ministries of women and child development and law and justice, along with the NCPCR, on a plea filed by Indore-based Emerald Heights International School and its director of academics, Siddharth Singh Girnar.
The petition, filed by Vaibhav Choudhary, was tagged with a pending plea and listed for hearing on December 7.
Plea seeks enforceable safeguards for children
The petition argued that the absence of effective safeguards against online risks violated children's fundamental rights under the Constitution.
“Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction declaring that the continuing failure of the respondents to provide effective protection to children against foreseeable risks of grooming, sexual exploitation, cyber-bullying, exposure to age-inappropriate and harmful content, behavioural profiling, compulsive-use design and other harms associated with commercial social media platforms is arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of Articles 14, 15(3), 21 and 21A of the Constitution,” the plea said.
It urged the Centre to frame, notify and implement a dedicated regulatory framework to address the risks children face while accessing and using social media.
Age restrictions, parental consent sought
The petition called for mandatory age verification, age-appropriate access, verifiable parental consent and stronger safeguards against cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, harmful content and excessive platform use.
It also asked the court to direct the Centre to restrict social media access for children below a prescribed age and regulate the use of such platforms by older children.
“Issue a writ of mandamus directing the Centre to prohibit the use of social media platforms by children below such age as may be prescribed, and to regulate the use of such platforms by children above the said age, in such manner as may be found appropriate,” the plea said.
The petition further sought age-based restrictions on children creating, maintaining and using accounts on designated social media platforms.
Petition flags cyber risks and impact on studies
The school cited instances of underage children operating social media accounts, being approached by strangers, facing online harassment and experiencing sleep deprivation and reduced concentration after prolonged mobile phone use.
It also referred to concerns raised by parents about excessive screen time, anxiety over online popularity, body-image issues, social withdrawal and declining interest in studies and outdoor activities.
According to the plea, schools and parents cannot address these problems on their own because the risks stem not only from online content but also from platform designs that encourage prolonged engagement.
Children, it added, are particularly vulnerable to grooming, sexual exploitation, blackmail, impersonation, the circulation of private images and exposure to violent, sexually explicit or self-harm-related material.