Centre to Amend IT Rules to Bar Under-18s from Social Media Accounts

Key facts

• The Centre told the Supreme Court on September 29, 2026 that it will amend the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules to stop social media platforms from allowing users below 18 to create accounts.
• Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said agreements entered into by minors with social media intermediaries are void contracts and that the Centre would make it a statutory obligation for intermediaries not to allow minors to open social media accounts.
• The petition was filed by NGO Just Rights for Children Alliance, arguing under Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act that minors are incompetent to contract, and raised concerns including online grooming, sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, misuse of personal data, behavioural profiling and exposure to age-inappropriate content.
• The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana pressed for a statutory framework rather than voluntary safeguards, asking the Centre to direct platforms to fashion their software in conformity with Indian laws.
• Justice Bagchi said platforms registered under US laws had imported US restrictions on minors opening accounts into the Indian digital space, which is impermissible under Indian law.