Bhubaneswar: Amid growing concerns over rising screen addiction among minors, BJP vice president and MP from Odisha Baijayant Panda’s second attempt to introduce India’s first proposed law to restrict social media for children failed on Friday as Lok Sabha got adjourned due to disruptions.
Panda’s private members Bill, titled the safeguarding healthy environments for little digital natives (SHIELD) Bill 2025, has been listed in the Lok Sabha for the last three three months and had been scheduled to be introduced today.
The bill proposes restricted and regulated internet and social media access to children below the age of 16. In the Winter Session too, Panda, MP from Kendrapada, was unable to introduce the Bill due to the scheduled day for private members bills being adjourned due to disruptions.
Similar laws have been passed in several countries such as Australia, and are being widely contemplated in many other nations. In India as well, many activists and parent groups have been angrily pushing for restraints on social media access to minors due to the increasing number of documented cases of their detrimental and life disrupting effects on young minds.
The recent case of three minor girls who committed suicide in Ghaziabad is just the latest example where allegations have been made about the role of unregulated gaming and other social media platforms.
Panda expressed frustration at the opposition’s ‘mindless’ disruptions of parliament, extending to even blocking private members bills. He called it bizarre behaviour, since the government has nothing to do with these bills, and in fact many opposition members of Parliament have also been trying to introduce private members bills on topics which they wish to advance.
