9. Regulatory Framework: Proposed Social Media Restrictions for Minors

The Government of India is evaluating a significant policy shift to restrict social media access for individuals under the age of 16. This move, discussed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), aims to safeguard children from the detrimental psychological and social effects of unregulated digital exposure. Drawing inspiration from global precedents like Australia\'s recent legislation, the proposal seeks to balance digital inclusion with the protection of India’s \'demographic dividend.\' Key Summary Points • Proposed Legal Amendment: The Centre plans to amend the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to introduce age-based access controls and restrictions for users below 16 years. • Shift from Consent to Access Control: While current laws focus on data processing with parental consent, the new proposal considers a more direct restriction on account creation and content consumption for younger teens. • Global Precedents: India is examining the Australian Model (which bans social media for under-16s) and regulations in France (under-15) and Spain to formulate a culturally and legally viable Indian framework. • Economic and Social Imperative: The Economic Survey 2025-26 flagged the rising \'social and economic costs\' of excessive screen time, linking it to decreased productivity and mental health challenges among India’s youth. • Verification Challenges: A primary focus of government-platform consultations is the implementation of robust Age Verification Technologies without compromising user anonymity or data privacy. • State-Level Momentum: Regional authorities in Goa and Andhra Pradesh, along with judicial recommendations from the Madras High Court, are increasingly advocating for stringent digital protections for minors.Definitions of Key Terms • Intermediary: An entity that receives, stores, or transmits electronic records on behalf of another person, such as social media platforms (X, Instagram) and telecom providers. • Verifiable Parental Consent: A legal requirement under the DPDP Act where platforms must prove they have obtained permission from a legal guardian before handling a minor\'s data. • Age-Appropriate Defaults: Settings automatically applied to accounts of minors that maximize privacy, disable targeted advertising, and restrict high-risk features like \'infinite scroll\' or \'auto-play.\' • Deepfakes: Synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else\'s likeness using artificial intelligence, a key concern cited by the IT Ministry. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023: Section 9 specifically prohibits platforms from tracking or behaviorally monitoring children or directing targeted advertising toward them. • Article 21 (Right to Privacy): While children have a right to privacy, the state has a \'parens patriae\' (parent of the nation) obligation to protect them from harm, which justifies reasonable restrictions. • Article 39(f) (DPSP): Directs the State to ensure that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and protected against exploitation. • IT Rules, 2021: The current regulatory framework for digital platforms, which the government intends to utilize for enforcing these new age-based mandates. Additional Important Keypoints • Platform Responsibility: The government is pushing for platforms to transition from a \'user-declared age\' model to more rigorous verification, such as Aadhaar-linked tokens or AI-based facial age estimation. • Impact on EdTech: Regulators must distinguish between \'recreational\' social media and \'educational\' digital platforms to ensure that learning outcomes are not hampered by blanket bans. • Digital Literacy: Experts argue that a ban alone is insufficient and must be accompanied by \'Digital Nagrik\' (Digital Citizen) awareness programs in schools. Conclusion The proposed restriction for under-16 users marks a transition from a \'laissez-faire\' digital environment to a \'protective-regulatory\' one. While the implementation of such a ban faces technical hurdles—particularly regarding VPNs and age-faking—the government’s intent reflects a global consensus that the unchecked \'platformization\' of childhood requires state intervention. The success of this policy will depend on the harmony between the IT Rules and the enforcement of the DPDP Act. UPSC Relevance • General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections (children). • General Studies III: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in secondary security; Awareness in the fields of IT and Space.• Mains Perspective: \'Analyze the socio-legal challenges in implementing age-based restrictions on social media in a country with high digital disparity. Does a complete ban for under-16s infringe upon the \'Right to Information\' of the youth?\'