A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking directions to the federal government to regulate social media use by children under 16 and establish a comprehensive framework for their safety over the internet.
The petition, filed by one Waqas Nasir, calls for an effective age-verification system for social media accounts operated by children under 16.
It asks the court to direct the government to introduce legislation aimed at protecting children from harmful online content, cyberbullying, online harassment and exploitation.
The petition also seeks a dedicated social media protection and regulatory mechanism with clear responsibilities for digital platforms.
The petitioner has urged the government to establish safeguards covering age verification, parental controls and protection from harmful material.
It also calls for policies addressing children’s digital rights, privacy and mental and physical wellbeing.
The petition names the Ministry of Information Technology, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as respondents.
As part of its legal and comparative arguments, it refers to measures adopted or proposed in several countries to regulate children’s access to social media.
It cites Australia restricting social media access for children under 16, as well as measures in France requiring parental consent for social media accounts of children under 15.
It also refers to the United Kingdom’s (UK) Online Safety Act 2023, which includes provisions for protecting children online.
The petition further cites a proposed law in New Zealand concerning social media use by children under 16 and proposed legislation in Spain aimed at restricting access for the same age group. European approaches to age verification have also been presented as comparative examples.
The petitioner has also invoked the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, which addresses children’s rights in relation to the digital environment.
The petition stated that protecting children’s best interests is a constitutional and legal responsibility of the state.
