New Delhi, April 4 (HS): The Supreme Court has refused to hear a petition demanding guidelines to keep children under the age of 13 away from social media. A bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai stated that this is a policy matter, and the petitioner can contact the central government if they wish.

The petition filed by the JEP Foundation stated that it is essential to keep children under 13 away from social media, as it has physical, mental, and psychological effects on them. The petition requested that the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules include provisions requiring parental consent for children aged 13 to 18, allowing parents to monitor their children’s social media activities.

The petition also mentioned that social media platforms should implement stringent measures such as biometric verification for age verification. It argued that if social media platforms fail to comply with these guidelines, they should face penalties.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar