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New Delhi. Amidst the ongoing debate regarding online safety of children, the Central Government has clarified that there is no plan to completely ban social media for minors in the country. However, the government is preparing to implement strict and age-based rules for teenagers under 18 years of age.

According to reports, the government is considering bringing a new law on this issue, which can be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. According to sources, in the proposed system, rules will be decided for children on the basis of different age groups.

rules according to age

In the proposed structure, there is a possibility of dividing children into three categories –

8 to 12 years: Most strict and restrictive rules

12 to 16 years: Limited use and monitoring

16 to 18 years: Relatively more freedom, but with safety standards

The government believes that today’s generation is more aware of technology than ever before, so making balanced rules instead of a complete ban would be more effective.

Consideration of imposing time limits

According to sources, the government is also considering the system of ‘time-based limit’ i.e. time-based usage. Under this, there may be some possible provisions for children’s social media use –

Use for a limited time during the day, such as one hour only

Prohibition of login late in the evening or at night

Mandatory parental consent for social media accounts

This model is believed to be inspired to some extent by the rules that have been implemented in China and Australia for online gaming and social media.

Different proposals from states

In recent months, some states have also proposed to take steps in this direction. Andhra Pradesh has suggested a ban on social media for children under 13 and Karnataka has suggested a ban on social media for children under 16.

However, social media companies say that due to different rules in different states, it will be technically difficult to implement them. For this reason, the central government is considering bringing a uniform law for the entire country.

Digital Addiction and Mental Health Concerns

Increasing digital addiction among children and concerns to mental health are considered to be the main reasons behind this step of the government. Organizations such as the Internet Freedom Foundation, however, have warned that excessive restrictions could widen the digital gender gap. He says that sometimes rules imposed in the name of security can limit girls’ access to the Internet.

Overall, the government’s effort is to create such a balanced framework in which the online safety of children is ensured and their access to the digital world is not completely lost.