Parliament Bill Targets Under-13 Social Media Access

BJP MP Baijayant Panda is set to introduce a private member's bill in Parliament to prohibit children under 13 from creating accounts on social media and gaming platforms. The legislation seeks to mandate strict age verification processes and requires parental consent for minors under a certain age threshold. This move aligns with growing global concerns regarding the mental health impact of digital platforms on young users. The bill specifically targets both social media giants and online gaming companies, demanding higher accountability for user safety.

The legislative push coincides with the Delhi High Court's ongoing deliberations regarding court-mandated age verification for India's 350 million social media users. Current regulations under the Information Technology Act are viewed by some advocates as insufficient to protect minors from harmful content and predatory behavior. Recent Public Interest Litigations have highlighted the lack of robust enforcement mechanisms to prevent children from circumventing age gates. The proposed bill aims to bridge these gaps by mandating periodic child safety audits for all major digital platforms operating in India.

If passed, this legislation could fundamentally alter how digital platforms operate in the world's largest social media market. Tech companies would need to invest heavily in biometric or document-based verification systems to comply with the new safety standards. For the average Indian family, this means stricter control over their children's digital footprint and increased responsibility for platform providers. Lawmakers expect the bill to spark a national debate on the balance between digital freedom and the protection of vulnerable demographics in an increasingly connected society.