Vijay Hashia
The digital era has ushered in an age of burgeoning opportunities and unprecedented challenges, especially for young minds navigating the labyrinthine online world. While the internet offers unparalleled access to information, education, and entertainment, it also exposes children to pernicious influences, among which the rampant proliferation of pornographic and semi-pornographic content, is alarming. This insidious menace threatens the moral, psychological, and emotional fabric of impressionable individuals and warrants immediate attention from society, parents, and policymakers in India.
Australia has taken a groundbreaking step as the first nation to implement a nationwide ban on social media usage for children under 16. Passed by its Senate on November 28 with overwhelming support, this legislation aims to safeguard young minds from the adverse effects of excessive online activity, prioritizing their mental health and well-being. The move has sparked similar demands among Indian parents, calling for government intervention to protect their children from the harmful impacts of unregulated digital platforms.
Children under 18 are at a formative stage of cognitive and emotional development. Their exposure to explicit sexual content online can have poignant effects, leading to distorted perceptions of relationships, consent, and intimacy. The societal implications of such outcomes are manifold. They not only jeopardize the individual’s mental health and future prospects but also contribute to the erosion of societal values, leading to higher incidences of sexual violence, and eventually rapes and murders.
A 15-year-old boy in an urban Indian city, inundated with pornographic content, begins to equate aggression with masculinity, normalizing coercive behavior in relationships. This distorted worldview emasculates his ability to form healthy interpersonal connections. An adolescent girl, inundated with semi-pornographic depictions of unattainable beauty standards, develops severe body dysmorphia. She becomes ensnared in a vicious cycle of self-loathing and eating disorders, sapping her mental well-being and academic performance. Repeated exposure to explicit content normalizes unhealthy sexual practices, creating a permissive culture where consent and boundaries get eroded.
Parents have been voicing deep concern, observing marked behavioral shifts in their children, including heightened aggression since developing these habits. Experts in psychiatry and behavioral sciences warn of the highly addictive and adverse consequences of such prolonged exposure. There is an urgent need for robust measures to foster safe and healthy digital habits among children and adolescents, ensuring their holistic development and well-being. To combat this menace, India must adopt a volte-face approach that combines education, awareness, technological intervention, and robust legislative reform.
Parents can play a pivotal role in shielding their children from harmful online content. However, their efforts must cut across mere surveillance. Instead, they should focus on fostering open communication and building trust. Churlish authoritarianism is counterproductive; instead, parents must proffer genuine guidance. A proactive approach by initiating age-appropriate conversations about the dangers of pornography can help children develop clear understanding of healthy relationships, respect and consent. They should placate children’s curiosities by providing alternative narratives about respect, consent, and healthy relationships, mitigating the influence of explicit content.
Educational institutions must integrate digital literacy programs into their curricula. These programs should focus on enabling students to navigate the online space responsibly and recognize the pitfalls of harmful content. Workshops on “Cyber hygiene” that emphasize the psychological risks of pornography and teach students how to report or block inappropriate content can have sprightly engagement and lasting impacts. Community level interventions can play a significant role in mitigating this digital menace . Awareness campaigns, support groups, and recreational activities can keep children engaged and reduce their exposure to online threats.
India’s current legal framework to address the issue of children watching pornography remains inadequate. While the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provide some safeguards, they fall short of addressing the anomalous challenges posed by digital pornography.
Enforcing mandatory age-verification protocols is crucial to curbing access to adult websites by minors. This can be achieved through robust methods like biometric authentication or integration with government ID systems, such as Aadhaar verification. This methodology would ensure that only users above 18 can access these platforms, safeguarding children from inappropriate content.
Imposing strict penalties on tech companies and content platforms failing to restrict minors’ access to explicit content is essential. Social media platform YouTube, Prime Video, Netflix, OTT, Instagram, X, Hotstar, Tiktok, Discord, Snapchat and BeReal operating in India must be fined heavily for not removing pornographic content.
Mandating Internet Service providers (ISPs) to offer child-safe internet packages and block access to known pornographic websites by default similar to the ISPs in Australia which provide “family-safe” internet plans, which are becoming a global standard, can be implemented effectively in India to safeguard underage users.
By these methods, India can safeguard its underage youth by curtailing exposure to explicit content and promoting accountability. The onus falls on families, communities, and the government to shield underage young minds from the seductive lure of digital exploitation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
