SC refuses to entertain plea for social media ban on children under 13

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a statutory prohibition on social media usage for children below the age of 13, stating that the matter falls within the domain of policy and legislation.

The petition, filed by the Zep Foundation through advocate Mohini Priya, had sought directions to the central government and other authorities to mandate a robust age verification system, including biometric authentication, to regulate children’s access to social media platforms. Additionally, it called for strict penalties against social media companies that fail to comply with child protection regulations.