NEW DELHI: A day after Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav called for laws to curb vulgar content on social media in Parliament, a survey revealed that parents of young children are deeply concerned about inappropriate advertisements being shown during programs marked as age-appropriate for all or for children.
The survey found that six in 10 parents claim some OTT and social media platforms are displaying inappropriate ads during content marked for all audiences or specifically for children.
Conducted by LocalCircles, India's leading community social media platform, the survey coincided with Australia's landmark decision to ban social media for children under 16 years of age, which was passed on Thursday.
The Australian bill, regarded as the world’s toughest crackdown on social media sites like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, reflects a growing global trend of implementing stricter regulations, with several other countries considering similar measures.
In India, parents have raised concerns not only about vulgar content—a sentiment echoed in Parliament on Wednesday when Information and Broadcasting Minister Vaishnav emphasiSed the need for stronger laws to curb obscenity on social media—but also about advertisements related to gambling, gaming, lingerie, sexual wellness, surrogate liquor, and tobacco that children are exposed to while using these platforms.
According to the survey, 88% of parents believe the government should impose heavy penalties on platforms that fail to regulate advertisements and want ads tailored to the content being watched rather than based on device browsing or usage history.
The survey, which collected over 30,000 responses from parents in 305 districts across India, highlighted the need for OTT and social media platforms, including Instagram, to ensure that advertisements align with the type of content being viewed, rather than the platform's assumptions about user behavior.
Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles, said “Eighty-eight percent of respondents support the government levying heavy penalties on advertisers if inappropriate ads are shown during content marked for all audiences or children. This is especially important in India, where many children share devices with their parents. Ads should reflect what is being watched, not what the parent has viewed.”
He added, “Parents strongly favor imposing stiff penalties for violating norms on age-appropriate advertisements. They believe such measures will promote compliance and significantly reduce violations.”