Supreme Court Declines to Ban Under-13s from Social Media, Calls for Policy Reforms

The Supreme Court refused to ban children under 13 from social media, deeming it a policy issue. Petitioners highlighted social media's negative impact on youth and sought age verification systems. The court suggested addressing the matter with policymakers, granting liberty to pursue policy change through appropriate channels.

The Supreme Court of India on Friday decided against intervening in a petition asking for a prohibition on children below 13 using social media, labeling it as a policy-related issue rather than a judicial one.

The bench, comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, advised the petitioner to approach the legislature to potentially enact relevant laws.

Highlighting a severe impact on mental health, the petition underscored the pressing need for stringent age verification and parental control mechanisms to safeguard young users from addiction and mental health crises prompted by social media.