India’s reported move to amend the IT Intermediary Rules to prevent children below 18 from opening social media accounts has brought the question of online safety for minors into sharper focus. The proposed approach comes amid concerns about children’s exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, online abuse, excessive screen time and digital dependency. The government has already acknowledged these risks and the need for stronger safeguards for children online.
The debate, however, is not simply about banning children from social media. It is about determining how the digital ecosystem should balance child protection, privacy, access to information and individual freedom.
A major challenge will be age verification. Any system designed to ensure that under-18s cannot create accounts would need to be effective without creating unnecessary collection or exposure of children’s personal data. This makes privacy-preserving age assurance particularly important.
parental controls could also play a significant role. Parents need practical tools to monitor risks, manage screen time and restrict unsuitable content without turning digital supervision into constant surveillance. At the same time, social media platforms have a responsibility to build safer systems rather than placing the entire burden on families.
India already has regulatory provisions requiring intermediaries to exercise due diligence and take measures concerning content harmful to children. The proposed changes could therefore represent another step in the evolution of India’s digital safety framework.
Ultimately, protecting minors online will require more than a rule on the minimum age for social media accounts. age verification, platform accountability, privacy protection, parental safeguards and digital literacy will need to work together.
The objective should be to create a digital environment where children can benefit from technology while being better protected from its risks. As India considers changes to its IT Rules, the quality of implementation and safeguards surrounding the policy will be as important as the rule itself.