Court orders government response

The Supreme Court on Friday, October 16, 2026, sought replies from the Centre and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on a petition for child protection from social media risks.

Who filed the petition

Emerald Heights International School and its director of academics, Siddharth Singh Girnar, filed the petition. Lawyer Vaibhav Choudhary represented them before a Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.

What the plea demands

The petition calls for mandatory age verification, age-appropriate access, verifiable parental consent and stronger safeguards against cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, harmful content and excessive platform use.

Constitutional violations alleged

The plea argues the government's failure to protect children from grooming, sexual exploitation, cyber-bullying and harmful content violates Articles 14, 15(3), 21 and 21A of the Constitution.

“continuing failure of the respondents to provide effective protection to children against foreseeable risks of grooming, sexual exploitation, cyber-bullying, exposure to age-inappropriate and harmful content”

Specific harms documented

The school cited instances of underage children operating accounts, being contacted by strangers, facing cyber-bullying, harassment, sleep deprivation and reduced concentration from prolonged mobile phone use.

Parental concerns raised

Parents worry about excessive screen time, anxiety about online popularity, body-image issues, social withdrawal and declining interest in studies and outdoor activities among children.

Why schools cannot act alone

Schools and parents cannot tackle the problem independently because risks stem from platform design and operation that encourage prolonged engagement, not just available content.

Next hearing scheduled

The Bench tagged the plea with a pending petition and listed it for hearing on December 7. Notices were issued to the ministries of women and child development and law and justice.