Social activists, advocates are pushing for stricter laws on online access to pornographic content

Social activists and advocates on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) demanded stronger legal safeguards against unrestricted access to pornographic and sexually explicit content online, especially for children and teenagers, in the wake of a spate of recent rape cases and the recent gang-rape of a minor near a college in Delhi.

The issue was not only about the regulation of digital content, but also 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 at a press conference.

Also speaking at the press conference were Yogita Bhayana, founder of People Against Rape in India; Vishnu Shankar Jain, Advocate 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 with obscene content in 2025 was a step in the right direction, Mr. Mahurkar said, but he demanded strict laws. His memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a dedicated law to prevent under-18s from accessing pornographic and obscene content, robust age verification and greater platform accountability.

A blanket ban on the use of social media by minors, as in Australia, could be considered, he said, adding that laws banning minors from accessing pornographic content were in place in 16 countries. The memorandum also proposed changes to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 and proposed 10 years imprisonment, non-bailable for three years and attachment of assets of convicted offenders.

Prevention must start before a crime is committed, by protecting children from influences that can distort their understanding of sex, consent and human relationships, Ms Bhayana said. Accountability must extend to platforms, technology companies and the regulatory system, given children’s dependence on mobile phones for education and communication, she said.

Mr. Jain said India needed a clear and enforceable framework to enable meaningful age verification and ensure that children could not circumvent safeguards, and said platforms, intermediaries and service providers must face clearly defined responsibilities with legal obligations and enforceable penalties for violations.

Published – 30 Sep 2026 22:04 IST