Prodigals' Home welcomes SC move on digital safeguards for minors

DIMAPUR — Prodigals' Home has welcomed the Supreme Court’s direction asking the Centre to examine the possibility of putting into a statutory framework the requirement for social media platforms and other digital intermediaries to comply with Indian laws governing minors, including the 18-year age threshold for independently entering into contracts with such platforms.

The organisation stated that the development could have a far-reaching impact on the protection of children online, particularly at a time when children are spending increasing amounts of time on social media and are exposed to risks such as online sexual exploitation, grooming, trafficking, sextortion, and cyberbullying. Prodigals’ Home is a partner of Just Rights for Children (JRC), which had filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking stronger safeguards for children using digital platforms.

Prodigals' Home Director K Ela said the apex court’s observation was an important step towards making digital platforms accountable under Indian law.

Also read: SC asks Centre to examine statutory safeguards for minors on social media

“Children today are spending a large part of their lives online, often without completely understanding the risks involved. We are seeing how excessive and unsupervised use of social media can make children vulnerable to grooming, sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation. These risks do not remain confined to the screen. Children can be targeted, manipulated and eventually pushed into situations involving sexual exploitation and trafficking. That is why stronger safeguards and accountability for platforms are urgently needed,” the director said.

The petition, filed by Just Rights for Children Alliance, had raised concerns over minors being allowed to independently create and maintain accounts on digital platforms despite such agreements being void under existing law. The Centre, in response, told the court that the government would examine the issue.