Social Media Platforms Should Set Age Limit For Its Users, Says Karnataka HC The Court highlighted the concerns about the addictive nature of these platforms for school-going children and questioning their maturity to discern national interests at the age of 17 or 18 when compared to the voting age of 21

By Teena Jose

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Freepik

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday suggested that it would be better to restrict the accessibility to social media from youngsters, especially the school going children by bringing in an age limit. According to a PTI report, a bench comprising Justices G. Narender and Vijaykumar A. Patil observed the present digital scenario and recommended this measure.

The Court recommended either implementing a ban on social media or setting a minimum age of 21 for users, highlighting concerns about the addictive nature of these platforms for school-going children and questioning their maturity to discern national interests at the age of 17 or 18 when compared to the voting age of 21.

The bench was hearing the writ appeal filed by X Corp, formerly Twitter Inc, related to the Centre's directives to block specific tweets and accounts in 2021 and 2022 challenging the order and the cost of INR 50 lakh, imposed by the single judge. Meanwhile, the bench reportedly indicated that it would pass orders on Wednesday on two interlocutory applications (IA) filed by the X Corp, including the one seeking for adding additional grounds. The court said that the only aspect to be examined is whether the content in question violates section 69A (1) and (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The counsel representing the Central government informed the Court that current legislation mandates users to provide Aadhaar and other documentation to access specific online games. In response, the Court raised the question of why similar measures were not being applied to social media platforms, as per the report.

The Court acknowledged the concerns, particularly related to the justification and reasons behind the Central government's blocking orders, emphasising the need for proper justifications to protect social media intermediaries from potential legal action by users.

Teena Jose

News Desk Reporter with Entrepreneur India

Teena is a post graduate in financial journalism. She has an avid interest in content creation, digital media and fashion.
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Career

Automate Your Job Search and Get More Interviews for Only $40

Perform 50 filtered job searches a month and apply for 300 of them with a custom email.

Side Hustle

'I Was Called Crazy': This 27-Year-Old's Side Hustle Hit $30,000 a Month in Under a Year — Now It's Worth Millions

Changing regulations forced Angel Rodriguez's jet ski rental company to shut down, and the young entrepreneur had to figure out his next move — fast.

Marketing

How to Nail Your Product Messaging with This 8-Step Framework

Effective product messaging is clear, relevant and focused on solving customer problems, not just listing features.

Marketing

Beyond Likes and Shares — How to Leverage Influencer Partnerships in the New Era of Social Media

Social media is evolving, and traditional marketing tactics are no longer enough. Learn how to leverage influencer partnerships, build authentic connections and navigate dark social to create impactful marketing campaigns that drive real engagement and trust.

Leadership

Why Work-Life Balance Is Overrated — and What to Pursue Instead

Managing quality, not time, is the secret to thriving personally and professionally.