The Supreme Court has sought the Union Government’s response to a PIL calling for restrictions on independent social media accounts for minors, citing the legal invalidity of contracts signed by children.
Published: September 10, 2026, 6:15 PM IST
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Supreme Court (File)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Union Government regarding a Public Interest Litigation seeking to restrict minors under 18 from independently operating digital accountsFiled by the Just Rights for Children Alliance, the petition argues that letting minors open accounts directly contradicts Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, which deems agreements entered into by minors void from the startThe plea highlights that the current absence of uniform age verification exposes children to online risks.
Legal arguments surrounding digital contract validity and child safety online
The Bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VMohana, will evaluate the legal arguments surrounding digital contract validity and child safety onlineThe outcome could significantly reshape how digital platforms verify user identity and handle minor accounts across the country.
The PIL contends that children below 18 are presently permitted to independently create and maintain accounts on social media platforms despite their statutory incapacity to enter into contracts under Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872It contends that an agreement entered into by a minor is “void ab initio” and argues that the absence of an effective and uniform mechanism giving practical effect to this legal incapacity in the digital environment exposes children to several foreseeable risks.
What are the risks associated with social media for children?
These risks include online grooming, sexual exploitation, trafficking, behavioural profiling, misuse of personal data, cyberbullying, exposure to age-inappropriate content and other harms affecting children’s “safety, dignity, development and well-being”.
The petitioner organisation has sought directions to the Union government to ensure that persons below 18 years of age are not permitted to enter into contracts with digital platforms, including social media, online gaming, content-sharing, live-streaming and other user-generated-content platformsHowever, the plea seeks that children be allowed access to lawful, educational and age-appropriate digital content through accounts maintained and controlled by their parents or lawful guardians, subject to an appropriate regulatory framework, a report by IANS news agency said.
The petition has referred to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and a NITI Aayog report concerning online safety for childrenIt has also relied upon the terms of service of platforms including Meta, Snap, YouTube and Instagram, besides referring to incidents concerning the alleged enticement of minors through social media platforms and their subsequent exploitation.
(With inputs from agencies)
