← 16 September 2026's Current Affairs · Polity GS-2 Prelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★★★★
Supreme Court examines minors' consent for digital platforms
Why in News?
Can a 13-year-old legally sign up without a parent's OK? The DPDP consent rule Polity answers must cite
The Supreme Court is examining whether minors can sign up for digital platforms without verifiable parental consent, as required under the DPDP Act, 2023.
Why it matters: GS-2 core
What you need to know
2 min read
The Supreme Court is examining whether minors can legally sign up for digital platforms without verifiable parental consent, and has sought the Centre's response on the issue.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before processing a child's personal data.
The case could shape how social media and other platforms verify the age of users in India.
Sources: Indian Express · Topper IAS editorial
Key facts
Remember these
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires verifiable parental consent before processing a child's personal data
- Supreme Court is examining whether minors can sign up for digital platforms without such consent
- Court has sought the Centre's response on the issue
- Case could shape how platforms verify user age in India
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The DPDP Act, 2023 mandates verifiable parental consent for processing a child's personal data.
- The Supreme Court is examining whether minors can sign up for digital platforms without verifiable parental consent.
- The Centre has been asked by the Supreme Court to respond on this issue.
Mains
Relevant to GS Paper 2 (Polity/Governance) under Right to Privacy and Data Protection: the issue concerns balancing minors' access to digital platforms with the DPDP Act, 2023's requirement of verifiable parental consent, raising implications for age-verification mechanisms and child data protection enforcement, with a way forward lying in clear, technically feasible verification standards and judicial clarity on compliance.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to children's data protection in India, consider the following statements:
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires verifiable parental consent before processing a child's personal data.
- The Supreme Court is currently examining whether minors can legally sign up for digital platforms without such consent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: C — The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires verifiable parental consent for processing a child's data, making statement 1 correct. The Supreme Court is separately examining minors' ability to sign up for digital platforms without such consent, making statement 2 correct as well.
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