Ponsana David, a CEO and working mother of two daughters aged 9 and 14, raised concerns about how adult products such as condoms and sex toys are easily accessible, and often visible, on popular grocery and food delivery platforms like Zomato, Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto, without any parental controls or age filters.
In a detailed LinkedIn post, she wrote:
“What if your 9-year-old came to you holding a sex toy or a condom packet? Would you be okay with it? This is not a dramatic question. It’s a real possibility in today’s digital world.”
She explained that her daughters routinely use UPI and delivery apps to order food, snacks, and stationery when she’s away for work. However, what shocked her was how easily products meant for adults appear alongside everyday items, without any gatekeeping.
“They haven’t searched for anything explicit. But these products show up anyway under categories like toys, chocolates or wellness items,” she said.
Ponsana clarified that her post wasn’t about shame or moral policing, but about timing and responsible access. She questioned why delivery apps—now part of children’s digital ecosystems—don’t have basic parental controls like those offered by platforms such as Netflix, YouTube or Google.
“They’re not just logistics companies anymore. They’re in our kitchens. In our kids’ routines. We need tech that’s not just smart, but also safe,” she wrote, urging tech leaders and product teams to rethink user safety.
The post struck a chord with thousands, sparking debate online, and it caught the attention of Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal.
Responding directly to her post, Mr Goyal wrote:
“Hi Ponsana – thanks for sharing this. I am a parent as well, and this issue is deeply personal to me. This is already on top of our minds, and we are working to solve it. You should see progress on this front very soon. Thanks again, for keeping us accountable.”
The interaction has since gone viral, with many praising David for starting a necessary conversation around digital parenting in an increasingly tech-dependent world.
“Quite a relevant post and online platforms should have parental control exercise options,” a user wrote.
“Well done. A real problem. Flag raised. The founder acknowledges and comits to rectify. This is the power of collaboration, customer care and leading by taking responsibility. Well done both Posana for raising the issue and Deepinder committing to improve their app,” another user wrote on LinkedIn.
“High Tech vs High Touch issue. This is going to grow bigger as the technology evolves,” the third user wrote.
