The Allahabad High Court has directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and other relevant government bodies to respond to a petition seeking to block minors from accessing the online gaming platform Roblox and similar digital applications.
The directive was issued by a division bench consisting of Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla during a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The legal challenge, initiated by practicing lawyer Rani Sing, names the Union of India, the IT ministry, and additional authorities as respondents. The petition highlights concerns regarding the psychological safety, behavioral impacts, and overall well-being of young users exposed to unregulated gaming environments.
Demands For Awareness Programs And Expert Panel
Beyond a restriction on minor access, Sing’s petition urges the court to mandate widespread awareness campaigns across schools and educational institutions. These campaigns would focus on educating students, parents, and teachers about the physical, mental, and safety hazards linked to digital gaming platforms like Roblox.
The litigation also requests the establishment of a specialized, high-level advisory committee. This proposed panel would consist of child psychologists, cyber security professionals, artificial intelligence moderators, and law enforcement officers tasked with analyzing digital risks and formulating immediate protective guidelines.
Physical And Psychological Toll Of Digital Addiction
According to the petition, excessive engagement with online gaming is causing severe disruptions to children’s physical routines, specifically impacting their dietary and sleep habits. The filing notes that many young players experience intense distress when attempting to limit their screen time or transition to offline activities, demonstrating how deeply their choices are influenced by online content.
These clinical concerns are supported by research from the Department of Psychiatry at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh. A study conducted by the department found that 15.9 percent of youth suffer from internet addiction, which serves as a major driver for anxiety and depression among young demographics.
Dr. Aseem Mehra, one of the co-authors of the PGIMER study, noted that the continuous availability of online activities reduces the perceived need for face-to-face human interactions, causing individuals to develop dependencies without realizing it. Mehra added that clinical visits for internet and gaming addiction are no longer confined to teenagers, with increasingly younger children now requiring professional intervention.
