NCPCR asks social media platforms to explore ways to protect children online

New Delhi: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) met with representatives from major social media platforms to discuss issues surrounding child safety online and explore ways to protect them.

At a recent meeting with representatives from companies including Google, YouTube, Meta, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Sharechat and Bumble, the Commission wanted to explore how to protect children from harmful content and exploitation online.

Key topics discussed included age verification mechanisms, tools for identifying and blocking child sexual abuse material (CSAM), support for law enforcement agencies, and parameters for reporting cases to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The apex body for child rights stressed the need for improved safety features on social media platforms, with a focus on protecting children from child abusers and explicit content.

The letter written following the meeting contained several recommendations.

Notably, there were calls for mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures to verify the identity of users on platforms and mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

The Commission also stressed the importance of parental consent for minors entering into contracts on social media platforms and the need for clear disclaimers warning parents about adult content.

In addition, platforms were encouraged to cooperate with NCMEC by providing detailed reports on child exploitation incidents, including information on child pornography and child abuse.

These reports must cover data from January through June 2024.

The NCPCR has requested social media platforms to implement these recommendations and submit an action report within seven days of the letter being sent.