The Supreme Court has rejected blanket age-based restrictions on children’s internet access, emphasising that their fundamental rights must be protected alongside online safety.
The court stressed the need for stronger measures to combat online sexual abuse, particularly the circulation of child sexual abuse material across digital platforms. It instructed the Centre to formulate comprehensive guidelines pertaining to national databases containing digital fingerprints and URLs, thereby enhancing the capacity for cross-platform identification and elimination of abusive content.
The court also called for safeguards against wrongful content removal, a proper grievance redressal mechanism and awareness programmes beginning at the primary school level.
Warning that excessive restrictions could expose children to unregulated online spaces, the court emphasised that protecting children and respecting their constitutional freedoms must go hand in hand.