Srinagar, July 02: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Srinagar, on Thursday issued a comprehensive advisory regulating the interviewing, filming and dissemination of videos of children by media persons, digital content creators and members of the public, stressing that the rights, dignity and best interests of minors must remain paramount.
The advisory comes in the wake of a recent incident in which a school-going child was interviewed outside school premises and the video was subsequently circulated on social media, exposing him to widespread public scrutiny and potential psychological, emotional and social harm.
According to the advisory issued by the Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Srinagar, Dr Khair-ul-Nisa, children constitute a vulnerable class requiring special care and protection, and all interactions with them must be guided by the principles laid down by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
"The NCPCR Guidelines on Media Reporting on Children require that every interaction with a child by the media shall be guided by the best interests of the child, with due regard to the child's privacy, dignity, safety and emotional well-being," the advisory said.
The Chairperson said that interviews with children should ordinarily be conducted only after obtaining the informed consent of the parent or legal guardian, or the competent authority wherever applicable, and only where such interaction does not expose the child to harm, exploitation or any form of distress.
Invoking its statutory functions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the CWC issued a set of directions aimed at safeguarding children from inappropriate media exposure.
The committee said that no child below the age of 18 years should be interviewed, filmed or recorded in a manner that compromises the child's privacy, dignity, safety or best interests.
It advised media persons, journalists, digital content creators, vloggers and members of the public not to approach or interview school-going children in or around educational institutions without obtaining informed consent from the child's parent or legal guardian. Where the interaction relates to school activities or takes place within the school environment, prior permission from the concerned school authorities should also be obtained.
The advisory further cautioned against encouraging or inducing children to make statements on political, controversial, legal or other sensitive issues that may expose them to public criticism, online abuse, intimidation or emotional and psychological harm.
The committee directed that no photograph, video or interview of a child should be published or disseminated if such publication is likely to prejudice the child's rights, safety, privacy, dignity or overall welfare.
The CWC advised all educational institutions to sensitise students, parents and staff about safe interaction with the media and digital platforms and to immediately report any unauthorised media engagement involving children to the Child Welfare Committee and the concerned law enforcement authorities.
Warning of legal consequences, the committee said that any violation affecting the rights, welfare or well-being of a child would be referred to the Cyber Police or other competent authorities for appropriate action in accordance with the law, including the removal of objectionable digital content wherever legally permissible.
Calling upon media organisations, digital content creators, educational institutions and members of the public to strictly adhere to the NCPCR Guidelines and all applicable child protection laws, the committee emphasised that the rights, privacy, dignity and best interests of every child must be protected at all times.
The advisory has come into force with immediate effect.