Keeping your teen safe online in India: phones, scams, bullying and where to report

For most Indian teens, the phone is school, entertainment and social life in one. Banning it rarely works. What works is clear family rules, a few safety settings, and a teen who knows they can come to you without being punished.

Start with the conversation

• Ask what they use and what they like about it. Be curious, not suspicious.
• Agree on rules together: when phones are put away, which apps are fine, and what to do if something upsetting happens.
• Make one promise out loud: "If something goes wrong online, tell me. You will not be in trouble for it." Teens often hide problems because they fear losing their phone.

Settings and rules worth setting

• Most social apps set 13 as the minimum age to open an account. Check the age on any app your younger teen asks for.
• Keep accounts private, turn off location sharing, and only accept people they actually know.
• Use the free tools: Google Family Link, Apple Screen Time, and the teen account settings on Instagram.
• Phones charge outside the bedroom at night. This protects sleep, which matters a lot in exam years.
• No phones at meals, and no devices in the hour before bed.
• Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, anyone under 18 is a child, and companies need a parent's verifiable consent before processing their data. The rules are being phased in, so apps may change how they ask.

The risks to know about

• Sextortion: a stranger, often posing as a girl or boy of their age, gets a private photo and then threatens to share it unless money is paid. Tell your teen: never pay, do not send more, stop replying, and come to us. It is a crime, and the teen is the victim.
• Bullying and group chats: save screenshots, block the person and tell the school if classmates are involved.
• Strangers and grooming: an adult who is secretive, asks for photos, or asks to move to a private app is a warning sign.
• Money games and betting apps: India's 2025 online gaming law restricts real-money games, but scam versions persist. In-app spending on ordinary games can also run up large bills quickly.
• Scams and fake jobs or loan apps: teens are targets too. Never share OTPs, UPI PINs or screen-share with anyone.

Where to report in India

• National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: cybercrime.gov.in, including a section for crimes against children.
• 1930: the national helpline for financial cyber fraud. Call as soon as possible, because early reports have the best chance of freezing money.
• Childline 1098: for any child who is being harassed, threatened or is unsafe.
• Your local police station, if there is any threat to safety.

Keep screenshots, usernames and links before you report or block. Do not forward the intimate images of a minor to anyone, even as proof, because sharing them is itself a serious offence under the POCSO Act. Describe the content to the police and let them take it from there.

Signs to watch

• Sudden secrecy, hiding the screen, or deleting messages
• Mood swings after being online, or avoiding school
• Changes in sleep, or gaming or scrolling through the night
• New gifts, money or accounts you did not know about

If you see these, talk calmly first. Our guide on teen stress and wellbeing has the helplines that apply here too.