NewDelhi: The recent close Aus announcement on the banning of social media for children below the age of 16 years has raised some questions about whether the same decision will be implemented in India. But IT Secretary S. Krishnan has quickly added that the Indian government has no plans of extending the social media ban to encompass all children below 18 years. However, the government plans on formally adopting digital personal data regulations that call for the “consent” from parents for children to join social networks.
Krishnan also opined that this decision should be made by society at large, as he averred that “It is a social issue that children should be barred from social media.” He highlighted the fact of online classes and educational materials shared through social platforms and said that a complete ban could not be effective.
The IT Secretary stressed that there is debate as to how to ensure that children are protected from danger on the internet as opposed to completely denying them access to the internet. He pointed out that still there is no official proposal regarding the complete ban of social networks for children, but they are discussing a protective mode at the moment.
Regarding the complaints by the UK about the presence of illicit content at big social media corporations, Krishnan appreciated big digital giants for enhancing their legal standards while taking care of the problems before they become serious. He also spoke about the increase in the incidence of cyber fraud and informed us that there is no concept of ‘cyber arrest’ under Indian law.
Social media accounts: The Indian government is right now writing rules and regulations under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act that aims to make children below the ages of parental consent use social media. This draft is currently being invited for public comment up to the 18th of February, 2025.
Current legislation in Australia has made a landmark in the banning of social media by placing hardcore age limits on social media advertising with hefty measures in case the ban is defied. The current Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has provided vocal support for such steps, referring to the risks for the mental health of individuals as well as the need to protect children from dangerous content on the web.
While figuring out the approach towards regulating social media for minors in India, the priority stayed with risk and the perks of social media involving the education process coupled with communication.
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