India’s NHRC flags EdTech firms
India’s National Human Rights Commission issued notices to ministries and platforms including Khan Academy and Meta over potential DPDP Act breaches, calling out child data tracking, grievance mechanisms and broader cyber risks in EdTech. The notices signal intensified regulatory scrutiny of how education platforms handle student data. (x.com)
A bench of the NHRC was led by member Priyank Kanoongo after the commission took cognisance of a complaint tied to a report from the think tank ASIA. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The Commission has sent formal notices to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communications, with copies also forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The NHRC asked the Ministry of Communications to clarify the process for providing SIM connections to children and flagged an absence of clear public information on registering SIM cards in the names of minors. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) In its action the Commission identified several platforms it said had yet to meet compliance expectations — naming WhatsApp, Grok, Gemini, Perplexity AI and Microsoft Math Solver among those required to respond — and directed concerned entities to submit compliance reports within 15 days. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The DPDP Act itself was enacted in 2023 and the government notified the DPDP Rules on November 14, 2025, establishing a phased compliance roadmap that includes an 18‑month rollout for many obligations while imposing immediate requirements such as breach reporting and consent-related duties. (apacnewsnetwork.com) The NHRC signalled it may pursue similar oversight for other vulnerable groups and reminded parties of the Commission’s statutory powers, noting NHRC members exercise functions with status comparable to a Supreme Court judge and the Commission has authority similar to a civil court. (economictimes.indiatimes.com)
