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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Kerala CM slams Karnataka demolitions, calls it 'bulldozer justice'
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday strongly criticised the reported demolition of Muslim residential areas in Karnataka's capital, calling the action shocking and painful.
In a Facebook post, Vijayan referred to the reported bulldozing of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout, where Muslim families had been living for many years.
He said the incident reflected a form of minority-targeting politics seen earlier in North India and warned that such practices were now spreading to the South.
The chief minister alleged that entire families were forced out of their homes in harsh winter conditions and pushed onto the streets, leaving them with no choice but to flee.
Vijayan expressed surprise that what he described as "bulldozer justice" was carried out under a Congress-led government in Karnataka.
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He questioned how such forced evictions could be justified by a party that claims to stand for social justice.
He added that governments should take responsibility for protecting the poor, ensuring housing, and preventing people from being driven out of their homes through the use of force.
According to media reports, a demolition drive in Kogilu village at Yelahanka last week pulled down more than 200 houses in Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony.
The operation was reportedly carried out by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited. Reports said the houses were removed to clear what were described as encroachments on land marked for a proposed waste processing unit.
