Madras HC Urges Centre: Consider 'Australia-Like Law' Banning Under-16s from Social Media

• Madras High Court suggested the Centre consider an 'Australia-like law' to prohibit social media access for children under 16.
• The division bench, comprising Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan, flagged increasing online risks for minors and deemed parental supervision insufficient.
• The suggestion came during the closure of a 2018 PIL filed by S Vijayakumar, which highlighted minors' vulnerability to harmful digital content.
• The Court expressed dissatisfaction with authorities' explanations regarding existing child protection measures, emphasizing the need for stronger systemic safeguards.
• Until new legislation, the Court urged authorities to intensify awareness campaigns for vulnerable groups through all available media.

Why It Matters: Madras HC pushes for a new law to protect under-16s from social media risks, citing Australia's model.