The Government of India is considering tighter restrictions on social media access for minors, with the issue gaining fresh attention after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to examine whether children under 18 should be prevented from creating social media accounts without parental consent. The government said it would look into the matter.
The development has now drawn a reaction from Abhijeet Dipke, who criticised the idea of restricting social media access for those under 18. He argued that such restrictions could affect the ability of young people to participate in online discussions and question political narratives.
“Instagram is a different battlefield. Gen Z has used it to question, mock and challenge political propaganda in ways that are far harder to control. And now Gen Alpha is coming of age online,” Abhijeet said.
Dipke argued that restrictions on minors may appear reasonable when presented as an online safety measure. However, he questioned whether there could also be concerns about limiting the ability of younger users to express themselves and engage with public issues.
He also pointed to young users who openly criticise political leaders and those in power on social media. According to Dipke, the focus should instead be on making online platforms safer for children.
“If the Centre is genuinely concerned about young people online, it should focus on making the internet safer for them. Start by cracking down on accounts that harass and abuse girls online, not by silencing an entire generation,” Abhijeet said.
The Centre has previously said that children’s online safety is a policy concern. The government has highlighted risks including harmful content, cyberbullying, online exploitation and digital dependency.
The current proposal is still at the consideration stage. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to examine the issue, and the government has not yet implemented a nationwide ban preventing all under-18 users from accessing social media.
The debate is therefore likely to continue between the need for stronger online safety measures for minors and concerns about how restrictions could affect young people’s participation in the digital space.
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