Now Reading: SHIELD Bill for children’s social media ban stalled in Parliament
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SHIELD Bill for children’s social media ban stalled in Parliament
BJP MP Baijayant Panda's private member's bill to restrict social media and online gaming for children under 13 could not be tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 7 as both Houses…
The Story in Brief
BJP MP Baijayant Panda's private member's bill to restrict social media and online gaming for children under 13 could not be tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 7 as both Houses adjourned early amid disruptions. The Safeguarding Healthy Internet Environments for Little Digital-Natives (SHIELD) Bill, 2025, proposes age verification, mandatory parental consent for account creation, and curbs on targeted advertising and harmful content.
The bill also mandates parental-control dashboards, a 36-hour timeline to remove harmful content (24 hours for child sexual material), and penalties of up to Rs 10 crore for non-compliant platforms. Repeat violations could lead to service suspension under the IT Act. The delay follows earlier failed attempts this year, as Panda criticised opposition parties for blocking private members' business. Australia recently enacted a similar nationwide ban for under-16s.
The Indian Opinion
The usual refrain about 'disruptions killing important bills' misses a larger point: private members' bills rarely become law even in smooth sessions. The SHIELD Bill is a useful template, but the real test is whether the government adopts its provisions or lets it languish. Both sides must explain why a broadly popular child safety measure cannot get even a hearing. Watch if the bill is re-listed when Parliament returns to business.
Sources (2): thefederal.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
