Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Ban Social Media for Kids Under 13, Defers to Parliament

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to take up a petition calling for a legal ban on social media use by children under 13, labeling it a matter of policy best left to lawmakers. Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, presiding over the bench, advised the petitioner’s counsel, “It is a policy matter. You ask Parliament to enact the law.”

The court made it clear it would not intervene, stating, “We are not inclined to entertain the present petition in as much as the relief sought is within the domain of policy.” While dismissing the plea, the bench allowed the petitioner to submit a formal request to the relevant authority, adding that if filed, it should be reviewed per legal standards within eight weeks.

The petition, brought forward by the Zep Foundation and represented by advocate Mohini Priya, urged the central government and other entities to enforce stringent age verification measures, such as biometric authentication, to restrict children’s access to social media platforms. It also called for hefty penalties on platforms that fail to adhere to regulations protecting young users. The court’s decision underscores its stance that such reforms fall under legislative, rather than judicial, jurisdiction.