What happened
The Delhi High Court ruled that regulating or banning children’s social media use is a policy matter that belongs to the Centre. The court declined to entertain a public interest litigation that sought (i) restrictions on social media access for children under 13 and (ii) regulation of content for children aged 13 to 16.
Background and earlier position
The public interest litigation argued that social media content could be addictive and harm children’s emotional well-being. The PIL also raised concerns about weak parental-consent mechanisms, lack of identification systems for minors, and the risk of child sexual abuse material.
What changed now
The High Court stated that regulation should be considered through the Centre’s policymaking process. The court treated the matter as a representation rather than an enforceable PIL request.
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