Tezzbuzz Desk- The Supreme Court has made important comments regarding children's internet use and online safety. According to the court, the right to access the Internet and obtain information is also important for children. They cannot be completely deprived of the Internet in the name of protection from online threats.
Emphasizing the digital rights of children, the Supreme Court said that the right to access and use the Internet is linked to the fundamental rights under Article 21 and Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran's bench pointed out the need to maintain a balance between the online safety of children and their freedom.
According to the Court, freedom of speech and expression also includes the right to receive information and share ideas. Today the Internet has become an important medium for education, creative expression and obtaining information. For children living in remote areas, this can be an important means of learning and gaining new information.
The Supreme Court clarified that giving children the right to use the Internet does not mean ignoring their safety. It is also important to protect them from sexual exploitation, abuse and other online threats.
In this sequence, the bench directed social media platforms and other online services to strengthen the mechanism to detect and remove content related to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEAM).
The main objective of the Court's comments is to strike a balance between the rights and safety of children rather than completely isolating them from the digital world. With this, emphasis has been laid on protecting children's opportunities for education, expression and access to information.