Introduction: A Playground Turned Predator’s Den
What happens when the very apps we trust to educate and entertain our children begin corrupting them instead? That’s the disturbing reality of YouTube Kids, a platform supposedly “built for young minds,” now overflowing with obscene, violent, and sexually suggestive content, all wrapped in the colorful packaging of cartoons and nursery rhymes.
Parents believe they’re handing their child a safe distraction. What they’re really giving them is a virtual slot machine of depravity, served by an algorithm that cares more about clicks than childhood. The platform may wear a “kid-friendly” mask, but make no mistake—it’s quietly becoming one of the most dangerous digital spaces for Indian children today.
Yet, the Indian legal framework, despite its vastness, is woefully underprepared, slow, and largely indifferent. If the law continues to look the other way, we risk permanently scarring a generation.
The Disturbing Reality Behind the Screen
YouTube Kids is not some fringe platform—it’s widely used, pre-installed on tablets, recommended by schools, and trusted by millions. But under the surface, it’s a festering ecosystem of:
- Over-sexualized animations masquerading as “dance videos” for kids
- Sadistic storylines where cartoon characters are tortured, killed, or violated
- Jump-scare horror clips slipped between rhymes and learning videos
- Self-harm content hidden in split-second frames
- Fake nursery rhymes with obscene lyrics and creepy visuals
This isn’t rare. This isn’t accidental. It’s widespread and deliberate—targeted manipulation of young minds by content creators gaming the algorithm.
Videos like these have racked up millions of views before being flagged. In the time it takes YouTube to “investigate,” a child could be traumatized for life. There’s no excuse for this anymore. This is not negligence—it’s complicity.
What Happens to a Child Exposed to This Garbage?
Children are not just passive viewers. They absorb what they watch. Their brains are in a state of formation—learning what is right, what is safe, what is normal. So when Elsa is shown being murdered, or Peppa Pig is seen drinking bleach to “solve a problem,” what does that teach a child?
Studies have already confirmed the damage:
- Severe behavioural disorders
- Distorted perceptions of sexuality and violence
- Early exposure to explicit themes leading to premature sexual awareness
- Sleep disorders, nightmares, and chronic anxiety
- Aggression and difficulty with emotional regulation
And yet, YouTube Kids continues to operate with minimal oversight, while India’s regulators wait for a national disaster to act.
Indian Law: A Paper Tiger in the Digital Jungle
The Information Technology Act, 2000
- Sections 67, 67A, and 67B criminalize the publishing of obscene and sexually explicit material—especially content that exploits children.
- Section 69A empowers the government to block content threatening public order or morality.
And yet, YouTube Kids remains flooded with filth. Where’s the enforcement? Where are the takedowns?
POCSO Act, 2012
Designed to protect minors from sexual exploitation, POCSO also covers digital sexual abuse. The law even penalizes platforms that allow children to be exposed to such content.
But enforcement agencies rarely invoke POCSO unless the abuse is blatant and viral. What about the thousands of “soft porn” cartoons quietly brainwashing children daily? They go untouched.
Juvenile Justice Act, 2015
This Act mandates the protection of children from neglect, cruelty, and psychological harm. That’s exactly what disturbing digital content is doing.
But no platform has been held accountable under it. No child protection agency has stepped up.
Indian Penal Code Sections 292, 293, 505
These sections penalize the sale and distribution of obscene content, especially to minors. But in the online world, they’re barely ever applied because our regulators don’t treat YouTube as a “distributor”.
Big Tech hides behind the “we’re just a platform” excuse, and the government lets them.
Why Are We So Powerless? Because We Choose to Be.
The biggest hurdle is jurisdiction. YouTube is an American company. Its algorithms, data centres, and policy teams are not based in India. Enforcement agencies here are still treating global tech platforms like VIP guests, not regulated entities.
The IT Rules 2021 tried to put pressure on intermediaries but they’re toothless without:
- Immediate take-down powers
- Swift financial penalties
- Real-time monitoring of kids’ content
YouTube continues to make billions in ad revenue off Indian audiences, while outsourcing the responsibility of child safety to tired parents and broken algorithms.
What the Indian Government Must Do Now
We are long past the point of policy papers and committee meetings. It’s time for action. Bold, aggressive, unapologetic action.
Enforce Human Moderation for Kids’ Platforms
Make it mandatory for platforms offering child-specific content in India to have real, human moderators stationed in India—not outsourced AI filters that routinely fail.
Enact the Children’s Digital Protection Law
We need a new law—powerful, uncompromising, and directly focused on protecting minors in the digital space. This law must:
- Penalise platforms that host harmful content
- Criminalise the use of algorithms that promote such videos
- Establish a real-time redressal system for digital child abuse
Create a Dedicated Child Online Safety Authority
Set up a watchdog body with enforcement power over platforms like YouTube Kids. Give it the power to:
- Investigate
- Block
- Fine
- Prosecute
Launch a Nationwide Awareness Campaign
Parents are not helpless—but they are misled. It’s time for a full-blown public information campaign about the dangers of unsupervised screen time.
Parents: You Have a Role Too
Stop assuming that an app labeled “for kids” is safe. Watch what your children are watching. Turn off autoplay. Check watch history. Report filth. Stay involved.
And most importantly, raise your voice. Because if parents remain silent, YouTube and others will continue fattening their wallets on your child’s mental decay.
Conclusion: Time to Pick a Side
This is not about tech policy anymore. This is about what kind of country we want to raise our children in. One where they’re protected, nurtured, and allowed to grow safely? Or one where we offer them up to algorithmic predators in Silicon Valley in exchange for a few minutes of quiet time?
India cannot afford to play catch-up anymore. It’s time to force Big Tech to clean up their act or shut their so-called “kids platforms” down. If the law fails to do that, then the law is failing our children.
References
- Information Technology Act, 2000 – https://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/A2000-21.pdf
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 – https://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/A2012-32.pdf
- IT Rules, 2021 (MeitY) – https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Intermediary_Guidelines_and_Digital_Media_Ethics_Code_Rules-2021.pdf
- UNICEF Report – Children in a Digital World (2017) – https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2017
Written By: Anshu
