His remarks come amid an international debate on children’s access to social media, especially after Australia imposed a ban on its use by children below 16 years in Dec 2025. More recently, the AP govt too proposed a similar move, which is still under deliberation.“The ban is necessary because digital platforms allow anonymity and fake identities, making children vulnerable. There can be a 40-year-old pretending to be a 15-year-old to exploit a 14-year-old girl,” Ribhu said. He added that India needs a national framework mandating age and ID verification online. “It must apply to everyone, not just children. Without verification, there is no effective way to protect minors,” he said.Ribhu also called for stricter regulation of social media companies and OTT platforms, warning against allowing them to “run without impunity” in their chase for user numbers. He said unregulated access exposes children to pornography, gaming addiction and harmful content that could abet self-harm. Citing a Supreme Court ruling, he said social media platforms operating in India must report child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to law enforcement agencies.Speaking on the challenges in tackling online child sexual abuse cases, Sai Manohar, additional director general (Cyber), Madhya Pradesh, stressed the need to strengthen technological capacity. “Microsoft’s PhotoDNA, introduced in 2009 and made freely available, enabled early interventions. Organisations like Interpol and the Internet Watch Foundation helped build shared databases to track child sexual abuse material. We need more such solutions for faster threat detection,” he said.Addressing a panel discussion on “Algorithms vs Abusers: Using Technology to Deter Online Child Exploitation,” Manohar said such crimes must be recognised as a “global epidemic” and tackled with adequate resources.Baby-selling racketIn the wake of recent crackdowns on a national baby-selling racket, Ribhu said any buying or selling of children must be treated as a criminal offence. “Buying or selling a child for any purpose is a crime, even if the parents who bought the child have good intentions,” he said.While acknowledging concerns about the adoption process, Ribhu said the procedures under the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) are not lengthy. “The problem lies in implementation, not policy. But nothing justifies buying children as a shortcut,” he added.He also recommended bringing all adoption laws, including the Hindu Adoption Act, under the Juvenile Justice Act to ensure uniformity and accountability.
