NEW DELHI: India may ban teenagers from social media. During a hearing on Monday, the central government told the Supreme Court that it was planning to amend IT intermediary rules to stop social media platforms from allowing users below the age of 18 to create accounts.
The hearing was for a petition filed by NGO Just Rights for Children Alliance. The government agreed with concerns raised by the bench and petitioner over teens using social media apps.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi said during the hearing, “They (social media companies) have registered under the laws of US and imported into Indian digital space the restrictions which are applicable in US (social media accounts for minors), which is impermissible under Indian law.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed. “They will have to conform to Indian laws and there is no doubt about it,” he said. “Something can be done, something should be done and something will be done.” For educational websites, however, the government says that it could allow access with parental consent.
If the government goes ahead with changes that would crack down on social media accounts for minors, it would join a growing list of countries that are trying to put in place similar plans. Governments around the world have grown concerned over the exposure of teens to social media, particularly over mental health.
These concerns have seen lawsuits around the world. In the US, Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, recently agreed to pay $18 billion in settlement over a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that the two platforms had harmed children. Though the company denies any wrongdoing.
Coming back to government-enforced bans, Australia was the first country to enforce such a blanket ban on December 10 last year. This ban directed social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, to block accounts of all users under 16.
In March this year, Indonesia banned social media for teens. Like Australia, the country ordered “high-risk” platforms, such as YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, to block under-16 accounts. The Indonesian government cited threats from online pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud and internet addiction, for this ban.
Malaysia and Gabon are two other countries that have ordered a social media ban for teens under the age of 16. Brazil, on the other hand, has adopted a different approach. Instead of outright banning social media platforms, the country is allowing those under 16 to have an account on social media, but such an account must be linked to a parent or guardian.
More countries have also announced or held discussions about similar bans. Turkey’s ban for those under the age of 15 is set to take effect on November 1, while the UK plans to put an under-16 ban early next year. Greece and Denmark have also discussed enforcing bans next year.
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