India's Supreme Court bans paywalled child sexual abuse content on online platforms

India's Supreme Court has directed every online intermediary to ensure that no child sexual exploitation and abuse material is offered, hosted, uploaded, promoted or circulated through a paywall or subscription, either directly or indirectly.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said social media platforms have repeatedly failed to comply with directions issued in 2024, and no action has been taken despite more than two years passing since the court's judgement.

“There can be no space for non-consensual, sexually exploitative and abusive material on the internet.”

The court cited Sections 15 and 67B of the POCSO Act and the IT Act as the special penal provisions designed to protect children in cyberspace, noting that algorithms have been used to promote and share indirect links to harmful material.

The bench stated there can be no space for non-consensual, sexually exploitative and abusive material on the internet, especially on platforms accessible to vulnerable members of society, and directed that a workable framework for safety be established.