# Supreme Court orders replies on child safety framework

> India's top court seeks government response to a plea for mandatory age verification and stronger protections against social media harms to children.
- Title: Supreme Court orders replies on child safety framework
- Summary: India's top court seeks government response to a plea for mandatory age verification and stronger protections against social media harms to children. The…
- Keywords: supreme court, child protection, social media, india, national commission for protection of ch, age verification, cyberbullying, news, politics, Supreme, Court, orders
- Source: The Hindu — https://thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-seeks-replies-from-centre-ncpcr-on-pil-for-framework-to-protect-children-from-social-media-risks/article71591871.ece
- Author: PTI
- Published: 2026-10-16T10:11:02+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: supreme court, child protection, social media, india, national commission for protection of ch, age verification, cyberbullying, news, politics
## 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.
## Key takeaway

The Supreme Court has sought replies from the Centre and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on a petition calling for a comprehensive national framework to protect children from social media risks.