India’s debate over children’s digital safety has gained fresh attention with the proposed SHIELD Bill, 2025, which seeks new rules for social media, online gaming and other digital platforms used by minors.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The bill, moved by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, proposes that children under 13 should require verified parental consent before creating accounts on social media and gaming platforms. It also seeks broader protections for minors against harmful content, data tracking and personalised advertising.
The proposal comes as digital services become increasingly integrated into children’s everyday lives. Smartphones, social networks, video platforms and online games provide entertainment and communication opportunities, but they can also expose young users to risks that are difficult for families to monitor continuously.
The SHIELD Bill seeks to make technology companies part of the solution.
One of its central proposals is mandatory age verification. Platforms accessible to minors would be expected to establish systems that can determine whether a user is within an age group requiring special protection.
For children below 13, the proposal would require verified parental consent for account creation.
The bill also proposes parental-control dashboards that could allow guardians to monitor children’s activity, adjust privacy settings and restrict screen time.
These measures would potentially change the relationship between families and technology platforms. Parents would receive greater control, while companies would have greater responsibility for making those controls available.
Data privacy is another central issue. The proposed bill seeks to prevent platforms from tracking and profiling minors and from serving them personalised advertising. This provision addresses concerns about the commercial use of children’s behavioural data.
The legislation also seeks to protect children from harmful categories of content. These reportedly include pornography, gambling and simulated betting, violent or extremist content and drug-related material.
The proposed rules could have a substantial effect on technology companies because they would require platforms to design systems specifically around child safety.
The financial consequences could also be significant. The proposal reportedly provides for fines of up to ₹10 crore for violations. Repeated or deliberate breaches could potentially trigger stronger measures, including temporary suspension or blocking of services under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
Yet the proposal remains far from becoming an enforceable law. The SHIELD Bill was scheduled for introduction in Parliament but could not be taken up because the House was adjourned.
This distinction is important because the announcement of a bill does not itself change existing law. The proposed provisions would need to go through the parliamentary process before they could become legally binding.
The proposal also raises difficult questions. How should platforms verify age without collecting excessive personal information? How can parental consent be authenticated? What happens when children use shared devices or accounts? How should platforms respond when users attempt to bypass age restrictions?
There are also questions about children’s digital rights. Online services can provide educational resources, social connections and creative opportunities. Any regulatory framework would therefore need to protect children without unnecessarily cutting them off from useful technology.
The SHIELD Bill has consequently opened a much broader conversation about India’s digital future.
The central question is no longer simply whether children should be allowed to use social media. It is whether platforms should be legally required to design their services around the safety, privacy and wellbeing of younger users.
As Parliament considers the future of the proposal, the debate is likely to focus on finding a workable balance between child protection, parental authority, privacy, technological innovation and access to the internet.
