Madras High Court urges Centre to consider banning social media for children below 16
Chennai: The Madras High Court has asked the Union government to consider bringing in a law, similar to legislation in Australia, to regulate and monitor internet usage by children, citing the easy availability of pornographic and harmful content online.
The observation was made by a Division Bench of Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K. K. Ramakrishnan while hearing a public interest litigation that raised concerns about children’s exposure to objectionable material on the internet. The Bench noted that children are particularly vulnerable in the digital space and that stronger safeguards are required to protect them.
The court observed that while adults may exercise personal choice in accessing online content, the responsibility of parents and authorities is much higher when it comes to children. It said awareness about the dangers of child pornography and other harmful online material must be significantly improved until a dedicated law is enacted.
In its order, the court said the Union government may explore the possibility of introducing legislation on the lines of Australia to address the issue. Until such a law is passed, the Bench directed authorities to intensify awareness campaigns and ensure that information reaches vulnerable groups through all available media platforms. It also expressed hope that both the State and Central Commissions concerned with child protection would prepare and implement a concrete action plan.
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The court was hearing a petition filed by S. Vijayakumar, who highlighted the growing internet usage among children and the increasing access to abusive pornographic content and harmful online games such as the Blue Whale challenge. The petitioner sought directions to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights to require internet service providers to offer a “parental window” that would allow parents to regulate and monitor the content accessible to their children.
The petitioner argued that a combination of awareness programmes and parental control tools on devices could substantially curb children’s access to harmful online material.
The Bench noted that child rights commissions have a statutory duty to promote child rights literacy and safeguards across society. While acknowledging that some awareness initiatives were already in place, the court said these efforts were insufficient given the scale of the problem.
The court was also informed that intermediaries conduct periodic reviews under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and that objectionable websites are blocked when brought to the notice of internet service providers. However, the judges observed that regulatory action alone was not enough and that effective control at the user end was equally necessary, which could be achieved through parental control mechanisms.
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3 killed in landslide during road widening at Hulikal ghats in K'taka, CM announces ex-gratia
Shivamogga (Karnataka) (PTI): Three labourers were killed and four others injured after a landslide struck a road construction site at Hulikal Ghat in this district, police said on Friday.
The deceased have been identified as Raghavendra (37), Raju (30), and Shabbir (40), all engaged in wall construction work at the site, they said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the families of the deceased.
The incident occurred late Thursday afternoon at a hairpin bend in Hulikal Ghat in Hosanagara taluk, they said.
According to officials, a massive landslide of soil and rocks from the hillside buried the workers.
A total of seven workers were caught in the landslip. Three labourers died on the spot after being trapped under the debris.
Rescue teams managed to pull out four injured workers and shift them to hospitals in nearby areas, including Kundapura and Udupi, for treatment, they said.
The mishap took place during ongoing efforts to build a retaining wall aimed at ensuring the safety of vehicles navigating the ghat section, which is known for its steep curves and landslide-prone terrain.
An SDRF team from Mangaluru reached the place early Friday morning and took up relief work.
Police, fire and emergency personnel rushed to the spot soon after the incident and launched rescue operations.
Authorities said the sudden collapse of loose soil and rocks from the upper slope is suspected to have triggered the landslip.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway to ascertain whether adequate safety measures were in place at the worksite.
Taking to 'X', CM Siddaramaiah said that regarding the incident, I have spoken with District In-charge Minister Madhu Bangarappa and obtained information.
"I am deeply saddened to hear the news that three workers lost their lives when soil collapsed during the construction of a road barrier at a bend in Hulikal Ghat, in Hosanagara taluk of Shivamogga district. I pray that the souls of the deceased unfortunate workers attain eternal peace, and that their family members find the strength to bear this sorrow," he said.
These breadwinning lives, which were the support of their families, have been lost in this tragedy, and on humanitarian grounds, a compensation of Rs five lakh each will be provided to the families of the deceased workers, the chief minister added.
