The Karnataka High Court has suggested that the Union Government should consider implementing an age limit for the use of social media platforms. The court made this suggestion during a hearing of an appeal filed X Corp (formerly Twitter) against the Centre’s blocking orders. Justice Narendar expressed concerns about the addiction of school-going children to social media and emphasized the need for age restrictions. He compared it to online gaming platforms, where individuals without certain credentials are not allowed to join.
Justice Narendar further stated that young individuals lack the maturity to judge what is in the nation’s best interest and that social media content, along with internet content in general, should be regulated to prevent corrupting young minds. He even suggested that banning social media would have positive outcomes.
The Karnataka High Court had previously dismissed X Corp’s challenge to the blocking orders issued the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The court imposed a cost of Rs 50 lakhs on the company and required them to deposit 50% of the cost to pursue their appeal. X Corp argued that the imposition of such high costs is unjust and discourages them and other intermediaries from challenging blocking orders that violate the law.
The company claims that upholding the single bench decision would embolden the Union Government to issue more blocking orders that violate Section 69A and the procedures mandated the Supreme Court. They argue that the impugned order did not follow the requirement of recording reasons in writing for blocking orders and therefore misinterprets the law.
The division bench has reserved orders on the company’s application for interim relief.
Sources:
- Source article: Karnataka High Court suggests age limit for use of social media, [source]
Definitions:
- Age limit: A restriction on the minimum or maximum age at which an activity or service can be accessed.
- Blocking orders: Orders issued a government authority to restrict or block access to certain content or services.
- Section 69A of the Information Technology Act: A provision in the Indian Information Technology Act that empowers the government to block online content for reasons such as public order, security, and sovereignty.
