BJP MP Baijayant Panda has introduced the Safeguarding Healthy Internet Environments for Little Digital-Natives (SHIELD) Bill, 2025 in Parliament, which would prohibit children under 13 years of age from opening accounts on social media and online gaming platforms without verified parental consent. According to latest reports, the bill was among two private members' bills scheduled to be introduced in the parliament on Friday but could not be taken up due to adjournments of the House. The SHIELD Bill defines a child as anyone below 18 years of age and seeks to impose a dedicated set of safety obligations on social media services, online gaming platforms and other digital intermediaries.
The proposed legislation mandates mandatory age-verification systems on platforms accessible to minors, along with parental-control dashboards that would enable guardians to track user activity, adjust privacy settings and cap screen time. As reported by Hindustan Times, the bill 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. These comprehensive safety measures aim to create a more secure digital environment for younger users. The bill also proposes a dedicated "Report Child Harm" button on platforms, with complaints to be acknowledged within 24 hours and disposed of within 48 hours. Harmful content reported by an individual, parent, or guardian would have to be removed or disabled within 36 hours, or within 24 hours where it involves child sexual abuse material.
The SHIELD Bill proposes prohibiting platforms from tracking, profiling or using personalised advertising for children under 13 years of age. This represents a significant expansion of the bill's scope beyond account creation restrictions, ensuring that social media companies cannot collect or use personal data from underage users for targeted advertising purposes. The legislation mandates that data collected from children would have to be limited to what is necessary to provide the service, retained for no more than 90 days after account inactivity, and permanently erased at the request of a parent or guardian. The comprehensive approach aims to prevent platforms from exploiting children's data for commercial gain while maintaining their ability to provide age-appropriate content and services.
Platforms found violating the proposed law could face fines of up to ₹10 crore, with repeated or deliberate breaches potentially resulting in temporary suspension or outright blocking of services under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. According to Hindustan Times, the bill represents a significant step toward regulating how social media and gaming platforms handle underage users, aligning with growing global scrutiny of these platforms' age-verification practices. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is reportedly considering how to introduce age-based restrictions and other safeguards for children on social media platforms.
BJP MP Baijayant Panda has also introduced the Protection of Personality Likeness from Artificial Intelligence Misuse Bill, 2026, which seeks to prohibit the creation or distribution of realistic AI-generated imitations of a person without their consent where these could mislead the public into believing that the person said, did, or endorsed something they did not. The bill proposes a 24-hour takedown deadline for such content after notice, reduced to 12 hours for sexually explicit material. Knowingly creating or distributing such AI-generated content for impersonation, fraud, deception, or sexually explicit purposes could attract up to three years in prison, a fine of up to ₹10 lakh, or both. This second legislation addresses the growing concerns about AI-generated deepfakes and their potential misuse for identity theft and fraudulent activities.
