Bhubaneswar: Kendrapada BJP MP Baijayant Panda’s fresh attempt to introduce a private member’s Bill aimed at regulating children’s access to social media fell through on Friday after Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following continued disruptions by the opposition.Panda’s proposed legislation — Safeguarding Healthy Environments for Little Digital Natives (SHIELD) Bill, 2025 — was listed for introduction in the House for nearly three months and was scheduled to be taken up on Friday.
The motion assumes significance in the aftermath of the alleged suicide by three minor girls in Ghaziabad, with allegations surfacing about the role of online gaming and social media platforms.The Bill seeks to introduce regulated and restricted access to the internet and social media platforms for children below 16 years of age, a move Panda described as necessary to protect young minds from harmful digital exposure.This is not the first time the Kendrapada MP was unable to move the Bill. During the winter session of Parliament, the scheduled day for private members’ business was also lost due to repeated disruptions in the House.Similar legislative measures have already been enacted in countries such as Australia, while several others are actively debating curbs on minors’ access to social media. In India too, activists and parents’ groups have been increasingly demanding regulation, citing a growing number of documented cases highlighting the adverse and life-disrupting impact of unregulated digital platforms on children.Expressing frustration over the repeated adjournments, Panda criticised what he termed “mindless disruptions” by the Opposition. “It is bizarre behaviour, especially since the govt has no role in private members’ Bills. Ironically, many Opposition MPs themselves seek to introduce such Bills on issues they want to raise,” he said.
