Social media should be banned for children in India like Australia, Madras High Court suggests to Centre

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench has made an important observation on children’s online safety and suggested that the Central Government consider a law similar to Australia’s, which completely bans social media use for children below the age of 16 in India.

A division bench comprising Justice K.K. Ramakrishnan and Justice G. Jayachandran was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the easy availability of objectionable content for children on the internet. The petition was filed by S. Vijaykumar, who demanded that all internet service providers across the country be mandated to offer parental control or parental window features.

The petitioner argued that obscene content and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) are easily accessible online, which is adversely affecting minors. He warned that such exposure could seriously harm the mental and emotional development of children.

While examining the issue, the court noted that although websites and URLs related to CSAM are regularly blocked, they often reappear in new forms. Therefore, blocking content only at the server level is not sufficient. The bench emphasized the need for user-level control, which can be effectively achieved through parental control tools. The court also stressed the importance of spreading awareness among parents and children about the dangers of such harmful content.

The bench clarified that adults may have the personal right to choose what content they view, but the risks are far greater for children. Keeping this in mind, the court suggested that the Centre may examine the feasibility of introducing a law like Australia’s, which restricts social media usage for children under 16 years of age.

As an interim measure, the High Court directed concerned authorities to strengthen awareness campaigns until a concrete law is enacted. The court specifically asked that messages be widely circulated among children and parents through all available platforms and expressed hope that commissions working under the Centre and state governments would formulate and implement an effective action plan.