The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition seeking a statutory ban on social media usage for children below 13 years, stating that it is a policy matter and should be addressed by Parliament.
A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih told the petitioner’s counsel, “It is a policy matter. You ask Parliament to enact the law.”
While disposing of the plea, the court granted the petitioner liberty to make a representation to the authorities, directing that if such a request is made, it should be considered within eight weeks as per the law.
The petition, filed by Zep Foundation through advocate Mohini Priya, urged the Centre to implement a strict age verification system, such as biometric authentication, to regulate children’s access to social media. It also sought strict penalties for social media platforms failing to comply with child protection regulations.
The court’s decision reinforces the stance that issues related to digital regulations should be formulated through legislative policy rather than judicial intervention.
