Better to restrict social media accessibility from youngsters, Karnataka High Court opines

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday opined that it would be better to restrict the accessibility to social media from youngsters, especially the school going children by bringing in an age limit.

A division bench comprising Justice G Narendar and Justice Vijayakumar A Patil also observed that the user age should be at least 21 or at least 18 years when they get the right to vote.

The bench was hearing the writ appeal filed by X Corp, formerly Twitter Inc, challenging the order and the cost of Rs 50 lakh, imposed by the single judge. During the hearing, the division bench observed that of late, the school going children are addicted to social media. The bench further orally said that it would be better for the nation if the same is banned altogether for young school going children.

Meanwhile, the bench indicated that it would pass orders on Wednesday on two interlocutory applications (IA) filed by the X Corp, including the one seeking for adding additional grounds. The court said that the only aspect to be examined is whether the content in question violates section 69A (1) and (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.  

Earlier, the counsel for the appellant US based multi-blogging platform informed the court that challenge is confined to the manner in which the single-judge’s observations about the interpretation of the law on blocking posts and accounts. In the earlier hearing on the appeal, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale on August 10 had passed a conditional interim order of stay directing appellant X Corp to deposit Rs 25 lakh within a week.

In its appeal, X Corp stated that the single bench had erroneously held that section 69A (1) of the Information Technology Act does not require blocking orders to contain reasons in writing. The company further contended that the failure on the part of the union government to comply with Rule 14 of the Blocking Rules has been ignored by the single bench.