Indore School Seeks Supreme Court Order to Limit Kids' Social Media Use

Emerald Heights International School in Indore has filed a public interest litigation before the Supreme Court demanding legal limits on minors’ access to social media. ## Petition The filing, made by school director Siddharth Singh and presented by Vaibhav Choudhary with advocate Khushbu Jain, asks for a binding regulatory system to shield children from cyber‑bullying, sexual abuse, harmful content, compulsive usage and mental‑health issues. ## Court Reaction A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant has already asked the centre to reply to a related petition, noting that “some firewall is needed to protect our children.” The current plea argues that the state’s failure to act breaches Articles 14, 15(3), 21 and 21A of the Constitution and the directive principles under Articles 39(e) and 39(f). ## Background The respondents include the central government and the ministries of electronics and information technology, women and child development, law and justice, along with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The petition cites the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and stresses that parental controls and voluntary platform measures are insufficient. It seeks a declaration that the lack of protection is unconstitutional and directs the government either to create a child‑safety framework, ban social‑media use for those below a set age, or enforce age‑based account restrictions. ## Context The case highlights growing concerns that digital spaces can expose children to mental‑health risks and exploitation, prompting calls for government‑level safeguards beyond voluntary industry steps.