Social activists, advocates seek stricter laws on online access to pornographic content
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Social activists and advocates on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) called for stronger legal safeguards against unrestricted access to pornographic and sexually explicit content online, particularly for children and adolescents, in the wake of a series of cases of rape lately, and in the more recent instance the gang-rape of a minor near a Delhi college.
The issue was not merely about regulating digital content but about the safety of women and children, prevention of sexual violence, and the social environment in which India’s younger generation is growing up, Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation founder and former Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar said, addressing a press conference.
The press conference was also addressed by Yogita Bhayana, founder of People Against Rape in India; Vishnu Shankar Jain, Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court; Sanjeev Newar, founder of Sewa Nyay Utthan and Rashtra Jyoti; Vineet Jindal, advocate and social activist; and Amita Sachdev, Supreme Court advocate and social activist.
The government’s action against 25 OTT platforms carrying obscene content in 2025 was a step in the right direction, Mr. Mahurkar said, but called for stringent laws. His memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought a dedicated law to prevent persons below 18 from accessing pornographic and obscene content, robust age verification, and greater platform accountability.
A blanket ban on minors using social media could be considered, as done in Australia, he said, adding that laws prohibiting minors from accessing pornographic content were in place in 16 countries. The memorandum also suggested amendments to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, and proposed 10 years’ imprisonment, no bail for three years, and attachment of properties of convicted offenders.
Prevention must begin before a crime is committed by protecting children from influences that can distort their understanding of sex, consent, and human relationships, Ms. Bhayana said. Responsibility must extend to platforms, technology companies, and the regulatory system, given children’s dependence on mobile phones for education and communication, she said.
Stating that India needed a clear and enforceable framework making age verification meaningful and ensuring children could not bypass safeguards, Mr. Jain said platforms, intermediaries, and service providers must face clearly defined liability, with statutory duties and enforceable penalties for violations.
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