SRINAGAR: 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 the issue falls within the realm of policy-making.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih advised the petitioner to approach Parliament for legislative intervention. “It is a policy matter. You ask Parliament to enact the law,” the bench told the counsel appearing for the petitioner.
Dismissing the plea, the court clarified that it was not inclined to intervene as the relief sought was beyond its jurisdiction. However, it granted liberty to the petitioner to submit a representation to the appropriate authority, directing that if such a representation is made, it should be considered within eight weeks in accordance with the law.
The petition, filed by Zep Foundation through advocate Mohini Priya, had urged the Centre to mandate a robust age verification mechanism, such as biometric authentication, to restrict children’s access to social media. It also sought strict penalties for platforms failing to comply with child protection regulations.
With the court refraining from judicial intervention, the matter now rests with policymakers to determine the feasibility of age restrictions on social media usage.
