Pakistan’s Punjab Moves to Restrict Social Media Access for Children Under 16

The provincial assembly has recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16.

By Sakshi

New Delhi, September 2: The Punjab Assembly of Pakistan on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16, urging the central government to introduce legislation to protect minors from cyberbullying, online exploitation, harmful content and excessive screen time.

The resolution was made by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who is also the Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau.

According to the Punjab Assembly spokesperson, the House unanimously adopted the resolution, with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also supporting it. The provincial assembly has recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16.

The resolution was made by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who is also the Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau. (ai generated image)

Restriction reasons

The resolution called for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from the growing dangers of the digital world.

"Unrestricted access to social media is exposing minors to a range of threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress," the resolution said.

Why this move

It referred to measures adopted by Australia, France, China and several US states to regulate children's access to social media and urged the government to introduce similar legal safeguards in Pakistan.

The move comes as governments around the world grapple with growing concerns over children's online safety, with several studies increasingly examining links between excessive social media use, mental health problems, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.

Australia and several European countries have recently moved towards tougher age-based restrictions on social media platforms, while other governments are considering stricter age-verification mechanisms and stronger laws to protect children online.