ISPs express inability to ensure under-13s don’t access social networking sites
The service providers insist it's up to the social networking websites to ensure children under 13 don't join such sites.
The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have informed the Indian government that they have no mechanism to ensure children under the age of 13 don’t have access to social networking websites such as Facebook and Orkut.
It’s notable the Indian government on a directive of the Delhi High Court had asked the service providers to ensure preteens don’t access social networking websites. The government had told the court that they could not direct the social networking sites as they were not governed by the Indian laws.
“It is for the social networking companies to implement the court order. How can ISPs, which are only providing connectivity, know who is opening an account on Facebook and other platforms,” a representative of the Internet Service Providers industry. The Internet Service Providers Association of India is quoted as saying in a letter to the Department of Information and Technology.
The social networking websites have been asked in India to ensure children below 13 years don’t have account on social networking websites. The Delhi HC has already rapped the Indian government for not having adequate laws to prevent children from abused through the social networking sites. Also read: Social networking is not safe for preteens, say survey results and Under-13s not allowed, Delhi HC asks Facebook to put disclaimer
Source: TheHindu