New Delhi: Parliament is poised for a significant initiative regarding children’s online safety. Amid increasing activity on the internet and social media, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda has introduced a private member’s bill to protect children from digital dangers.
The ‘Safeguarding Healthy Internet Environments for Little Digital-Natives’ (SHIELD) Bill, 2025, proposes several strict regulations regarding children’s social media accounts, data privacy, online gaming, and personalized advertising. However, due to the uproar in Parliament and the adjournment of the House on Friday, the bill was not formally introduced.
Banning Accounts for Children Under 13
The SHIELD Bill considers those under 18 years of age as minors. Under this bill, children under 13 will not be able to create a new account on social media or online gaming platforms without the verified permission of a parent or guardian. The bill also proposes to prohibit tracking children’s online activities and creating profiles based on their behavior. Companies will not be able to use children’s data to display personalized ads.
Data Deletion and Parental Dashboard
Children’s data is proposed to be limited to providing essential services only. Data must be deleted within 90 days of account closure or deactivation. It will also be required to permanently delete it upon parental request. Platforms accessible to children will be required to adopt a robust age verification system.
Parents are also proposed to be provided with a parental dashboard, through which they can control privacy settings, online activities, and screen time. Platforms will also be responsible for protecting children from pornography, gambling, violent or extremist content, and drug-related content.
Action on Complaints and Fines of up to ₹10 Crore
The bill calls for a ‘Report Child Harm’ option on every platform. A response to a complaint must be received within 24 hours and resolved within 48 hours. General harmful content must be removed within 36 hours, and CSAM within 24 hours. Companies violating the rules could face fines of up to ₹10 crore. In the event of serious or repeated violations, a provision is also proposed to temporarily block the platform in India under Section 69A of the IT Act.
Stricter laws are also proposed for AI deepfakes.
Jay Panda’s second proposed bill addresses the misuse of AI, namely deepfakes. It proposes action against the creation and dissemination of fake AI content using a person’s voice, face, or identity without permission. Such content must be removed within 24 hours of notice, and sexually explicit material within 12 hours. Creating deepfakes for fraud, blackmail, or obscenity is proposed to carry a jail term of up to 3 years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.