The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has to address the challenges faced by children in the digital era. Examine the existing policies and suggest measures the Commission can initiate to tackle the issue.
Question source: insightsonindia.com
Write a timed answer in the appCurrent affairs to use in your answer
How the EU plans to keep children under 15 off social media · 21 September 2026 · Covers one part · use it in the body
Supplies India's existing legal position and comparative international measures you can propose for child safety online.
- India's DPDP Act, 2023 requires verifiable parental consent to process data of anyone under 18 and bars tracking and targeted ads to children.
- Leaked drafts of the EU's proposed Kids Act would bar under-15s from opening their own accounts; Australia's under-16 ban on major platforms took effect in December 2025.
- Favour safety-by-design rules, default privacy settings for minors, platform accountability and digital literacy for children and parents over bans alone.
Why the NCPCR has summoned Meta over ads linked to child sexual abuse material · 13 September 2026 · Answers it directly · use it in the body
The Meta summons shows what the NCPCR can do in the digital space (inquire, summon, recommend) and where it depends on MeitY and police, the core of this question.
- The NCPCR (set up March 2007 under the CPCR Act, 2005) sent Meta a notice on 3 July 2026 and summoned its officials on 9 September over CSEAM-linked ads on its platforms.
- It has civil court powers to summon and demand documents but can only recommend; penalties rest with MeitY under the IT Act or police and courts under POCSO.
- Suggest measures: audited ad-screening standards with loss of Section 79 safe harbour for repeat failures, a formal referral route for child rights commissions, and digital safety education.
Supreme Court asks Centre to frame rules to stop social media firms signing up minors · 29 September 2026 · Covers one part · use it in the body
Use it to set out the existing legal safeguards for children online and the measures now being pushed, which a child rights body could monitor and build on.
- In Just Rights for Children Alliance v Union of India (28 September 2026), the Supreme Court asked the Centre to frame statutory rules stopping social media firms from enrolling users below 18.
- Existing policy: the DPDP Act, 2023 treats anyone under 18 as a child and requires verifiable parental consent before processing a child's data, but its obligations are yet to fully apply.
- Balanced measures: guardian-controlled access so children still reach educational content, and privacy-preserving age checks, since critics warn strict checks need identity verification of every user.