India may bar under-18s from social media accounts

India's government told the Supreme Court it intends to change the country's IT Rules to stop anyone under 18 from opening a social media account. The announcement was made as the court heard concerns over online child safety. If enacted, India would join countries like Australia and Malaysia that already block children from having social accounts. No timeframe for the new rules was given.

• Government aims to set 18 as minimum age for accounts
• Move follows concerns over children's online risks
• Rule could require parent consent for educational sites
• Similar age limits already exist in other countries