Madras HC Urges India to Ban Social Media for Minors Like Australia

• Madras High Court advocates for an Australia-like law to ban social media for children under 16 in India.
• Concerns include adverse effects on children's mental health (addiction, attention span, body image), cyberbullying, exploitation, and disrupted sleep/studies.
• Court highlights lack of 'gatekeeping' online, allowing minors easy access to harmful content, increasing crime and depression.
• Australia's model bans social media for under 16s, with penalties for companies failing age verification, not for children/parents.
• Challenges for India include technical implementation, large user base, and potential for bypassing bans, raising questions about Aadhaar verification.

Why It Matters: India considers social media ban for minors, following Madras HC's call for child protection.