Children below the age of 18 will require parental consent to open social media accounts

The central government has proposed a new draft under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules, mandating parental consent for individuals under 18 to create social media accounts. The draft, released on Friday, aims to strengthen safeguards for minors' online activities and ensure compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

According to the rules, any platform classified as a data fiduciary, including social media, e-commerce, and gaming platforms, must implement technical measures to verify parental consent. This includes identifying parents as adults through reliable documents or government-issued virtual tokens. While the rules outline strict compliance measures, they do not mention any penalties for violations in this specific context.

The government has invited public feedback on the draft, with the final decision expected after February 18. Officials clarified that the rules would become enforceable only after the DPDP Act officially comes into force. The draft emphasizes "due diligence" by data fiduciaries in verifying the age and identity of parents or guardians.

A noteworthy clause states that data fiduciaries must ensure the individual claiming to be a parent can be identified for legal compliance. This provision is designed to prevent misuse and ensure accountability in the consent verification process.

While the DPDP Act itself includes a provision to impose penalties of up to ₹250 crore for non-compliance by data fiduciaries, the draft rules focusing on minors’ accounts do not yet specify any punitive measures for violations. This omission has raised questions among experts regarding the enforcement mechanism.

The move aligns with global trends in child data protection and privacy regulations, underscoring India’s commitment to safeguarding future generations online. Public consultations are expected to shape the final version of these rules, making them robust and inclusive for a digital-first world.