File fresh affidavit over social networking sites:HC to Centre

The Centre was today directed by the Delhi High Court to file a fresh affidavit on a plea questioning how children below the age of 18 years are allowed to open account on social networking sites including Facebook even though Indian laws do not permit it.
A bench of justices B D Ahmed and Vibhu Bakhru asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajeeve Mehra, Centre's counsel, to file by May 22 the affidavit addressing specific queries raised in its earlier order as to how under age children have entered into agreements with social networking sites.
The order came after petitioner counsel Virag Gupta contended that the government in its affidavit has not mentioned anything about the query raised by the court in its earlier hearing.

He argued that the affidavit has stated that social networking sites do not permit children below 13 years of age to open accounts or access their websites.
They generally verify the age and obtain permission of parents of the children below 13 years of age as per the laws of the country (US) where they are registered and their server are located.
"However, the technology does not offer any techniques to verify the age of a person logging into the Internet and social media sites online," as per the affidavit.
The bench was hearing the plea of former BJP ideologue K N Govindacharya which also sought recovery of taxes from the websites on their income from operations in India.