Children below the age of 13 could be monitored from opening accounts on social media and online gaming platforms unless a parent gives verified consent, under a private member's bill proposed in Parliament.
What The SHIELD Bill proposes
The Safeguarding Healthy Internet Environments for Little Digital-Natives (SHIELD) Bill, 2025, moved by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, seeks to place a fresh set of safety obligations on social media companies, online gaming platforms and other digital intermediaries, Hindustan Times reported.
Besides the age bar for under-13s, the bill calls for mandatory age-verification systems on platforms accessible to minors, along with parental-control dashboards that would let guardians track activity, adjust privacy settings and cap screen time.
Curbs On Tracking And Targeted Ads
The bill defines a child as anyone under 18 and proposes barring platforms from tracking, profiling or serving personalised advertisements to children, HT reported.
It also seeks to place obligations on platforms to shield children from exposure to pornography, gambling and simulated betting, violent or extremist content, and drug-related material.
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Penalties For Violations
Platforms found violating the proposed law could face fines of up to Rs 10 crore. Repeated or deliberate breaches could invite temporary suspension or outright blocking of services under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
Introduced But Not Taken Up
The SHIELD Bill was reportedly one of two private members' bills listed for introduction in Parliament on Friday, but neither could be taken up due to repeated adjournments of the House.
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The second bill, also on the day's agenda, sought to regulate the misuse of artificial intelligence to create realistic imitations of individuals.
Private members' bills rarely become law — only about a dozen have cleared Parliament since Independence, meaning the SHIELD Bill's provisions remain proposals rather than binding rules for now.
The bill comes amid growing global scrutiny of how social media and gaming platforms handle underage users, with several countries moving to tighten age-verification and parental-consent norms in recent years.
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