Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Ban Social Media for Children Under 13, Calls It a “Policy Matter”
In a significant decision, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a complete ban on social media usage for children below 13 years. The bench, comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih, stated that the issue falls under policy-making and should be addressed by Parliament, not the judiciary.
The petition, filed by the Zep Foundation, had urged the court to direct the Centre to enforce strict age verification measures—such as biometric authentication—to prevent young children from accessing social media platforms. Additionally, it sought penalties for platforms failing to comply with child protection laws.
However, the bench dismissed the plea, stating, “We are not inclined to entertain the present petition in as much as the relief sought is within the domain of policy.” The court granted the petitioner liberty to approach the appropriate authorities with their concerns, directing that any such representation be considered within eight weeks.
This ruling comes amid growing debates over children’s digital safety and the role of social media platforms in enforcing age restrictions. While some argue that stricter regulations are necessary to protect minors from online risks, others believe such decisions should be left to legislative bodies rather than the courts.
