The Supreme Court of India granting liberty to the ZEP Foundation to submit a detailed representation to the Central Government proposing mandatory age verification and statutory prohibition for social media use by children under 16/18 years, has directed the government to set an eight‑week timeline to take action.
Dr. Rekha Chaudhary, founder and global advocate for digital wellness and smartphone‑free childhoods filed the writ petition before the top court.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustin George Masih also issued directives to: condone delay; recognising policy imperative; and granting right to representation and set response timeline.
The petition highlighted alarming gaps in self‑declared age checks and in the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules 2023. It urged the government to adopt enforceable, technology‑driven age‑verification standards to shield minors from harmful content and addictive platforms.
“In today’s digital age, safeguarding our children’s mental and emotional well‑being is paramount. Implementing stringent age verification for social media access is a crucial step toward creating a safer digital environment for our youth,” said Dr. Rekha Chaudhary stated.
World Digital Detox Day, now a 16‑year‑old mission active in 72 countries, promotes digital wellness, digital fasting, and digital education. The organization raises global awareness of the mental, emotional, and social effects of digital overexposure—especially on children and families.
