Age Limits Alone Cannot Ensure Children’s Online Safety: Nalsar-IGAP Study

Social media age restrictions alone cannot protect children from online risks, with a new study by Nalsar University of Law and the Indian Governance and Policy Project (IGAP) calling for stronger safeguards governing platform design, privacy and regulatory accountability.

The report, ‘The Child Safety Imperative: Age-Appropriate Digital Governance Pathways for India’, maps regulatory developments across 57 jurisdictions, examines evidence on child and adolescent development, and identifies gaps in India’s legal and regulatory framework.

As of September 30, 2026, seven jurisdictions had measures in force, three had adopted measures awaiting implementation, 27 had formal proposals and 20 were under official review. The report cautions against treating all these developments as bans, as the measures vary in their legal status and approach, including account restrictions, parental linkage and graduated protections.

The study finds that Indian laws provide safeguards against serious offences, including child sexual exploitation, harassment and cybercrime, but are less equipped to address risks associated with algorithmic recommendations, persuasive design, behavioural profiling and excessive engagement.

“Children’s online safety cannot rest principally with children and their families,” said Nalsar vice-chancellor Srikrishna Deva Rao, calling for “responsible platform design, meaningful oversight and safeguards that respect children’s privacy, rights and evolving capacities.”

Shachi Solanki, IGAP director and lead author, said policy must distinguish between regulating children’s access to social media and making their online experiences safer. Age thresholds should be informed by evidence on child development and the risks associated with different services and features, she said.

The report compares approaches in countries including Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia. It also examines an August 2026 US settlement involving Meta, covering measures such as age assurance, usage limits, protective defaults, parental tools and oversight. However, the effectiveness of these safeguards remains unproven, while questions concerning privacy, freedom of expression and competition remain unresolved.

For India, the report recommends a dedicated, principle-based online child safety framework combining age-appropriate protections, responsible platform design, privacy-preserving age assurance and stronger institutional accountability. It also calls for investment in regulatory capacity, digital literacy and India-specific research.

The study argues that age verification and legal restrictions are means to improve safety, not ends in themselves. Implementation requires technical expertise, clear responsibilities, effective reporting mechanisms and credible oversight.

Regulatory measures should ultimately be assessed by whether they reduce harm, while protecting children’s privacy and preserving access to information, education and beneficial digital services.

The report maps different approaches to age-based regulation, from restrictions on independent accounts to parental-linkage requirements and usage limits. It cautions that age verification alone does not guarantee safer online experiences and calls for privacy-preserving checks proportionate to the risks involved. Effective implementation, including clear responsibilities, technical expertise and credible oversight, is essential, it says.