Government to tighten rules to block under-18 accounts on social media platforms

The Indian government has agreed to tighten rules on social media platforms to prevent minors under the age of 18 from creating accounts, following a Supreme Court ruling. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that agreements between social media intermediaries and minors are void contracts, which must be prevented. The government will now seek to make it a statutory obligation for these platforms to refrain from allowing minors to have social media accounts.

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, expressed concern over the restrictions imposed by US-based social media platforms on children in the Indian digital space, which are not in line with Indian laws. The bench emphasized that intermediaries should conform to Indian laws and implement measures to restrict membership to individuals aged 18 and above.

The government has agreed to draft legislation or rules to ensure compliance with these laws and enforce them through a statutory mechanism.