New Delhi
A recent survey by Local Circles revealed that most parents believe online platforms should shut down or seek parental consent for accounts created by children with age misrepresentation. This is in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, which requires online platforms to verify children's ages and obtain parental consent before processing their data.
The survey, which involved 21,760 parent responses, showed that 88% of parents support rules that would mandate platforms like social media, OTT services, and online gaming sites to identify accounts with incorrect age information. Platforms would then be required to either obtain parental consent or deactivate the account. Only 4% of parents surveyed were in favor of allowing children to continue using platforms without age verification.
Additionally, 58% of the 22,518 respondents recommended that internet platforms use profile information, images, and content consumed to determine age. The survey, conducted between December 27 and February 23, received over 44,000 responses from parents of school children across 349 districts in India, showing a strong demand for stricter age verification measures on digital platforms.