Key Takeaways
- A resolution has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly seeking a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16 without parental consent.
- The proposal aims to protect minors from cyberbullying, online sexual abuse and digital addiction.
- The federal government is urged to introduce comprehensive legislation to regulate children's access to social media.
A resolution has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly in Pakistan, calling for a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16 without parental consent. The move comes amid growing concerns over cyberbullying, online sexual abuse and digital addiction among minors.
The resolution was proposed by Punjab lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who emphasized that protection of children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral development is a constitutional and moral responsibility of the state. She highlighted that unrestricted access to social media has exposed young users to serious threats such as cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, psychological distress, and digital addiction.
Ahmad urged the federal government to introduce legislation prohibiting children below 16 from creating or maintaining social media accounts unless parental consent is obtained through a reliable age-verification mechanism. The resolution also calls for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to implement effective age-verification systems across all social media platforms operating in Pakistan.
The proposal further seeks to hold social media companies responsible for complying with child protection standards, including promptly removing harmful content and providing a safer digital environment for minors. Ahmad recommended that federal and provincial departments launch sustained awareness campaigns for parents, teachers, and children to promote digital literacy, online safety, and the responsible use of the internet.
This resolution follows similar measures being considered globally as governments grapple with the impact of excessive social media usage on mental health and exposure to harmful content. Countries such as Australia and several EU nations have recently moved towards imposing age-based restrictions on access to social media platforms.
If adopted by the Punjab Assembly, the resolution will serve as a recommendation to the federal government, which has legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation, and digital platforms. The move reflects growing concerns among lawmakers about the potential risks associated with unrestricted online activity for minors in Pakistan.
The proposal aims to strike a balance between protecting children from online dangers and ensuring they can benefit from the educational and social aspects of technology. However, it also raises questions about the practical implementation of such restrictions and the potential impact on digital literacy among young people.
