A resolution has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly calling for a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 16 without parental consent, citing growing concerns over cyberbullying, online sexual abuse and digital addiction among minors.
The resolution, moved by Punjab lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, urges the provincial government to recommend that the federal government introduce comprehensive legislation to regulate children’s access to social media platforms and strengthen online safety measures.
It states that protecting the physical, mental, psychological and moral development of children is both a constitutional and moral responsibility of the state. It argues that unrestricted access to social media has exposed minors to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, psychological distress, digital addiction and other serious online risks.
The resolution proposes that children under the age of 16 should not be allowed to create or maintain social media accounts unless parental or legal guardian consent is obtained through a reliable age-verification mechanism.
It also calls on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to implement and enforce effective age-verification systems across all social media platforms operating in Pakistan to ensure compliance with the proposed restrictions.
In addition, the resolution seeks to hold social media companies accountable for complying with child protection standards by requiring them to remove harmful content promptly and provide a safer online environment for young users.
The proposal further recommends that the relevant 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. It also calls for stronger coordination between federal and provincial authorities on child online protection.
The proposal comes as countries worldwide tighten rules on children’s social media use over concerns about mental health, cyber abuse and harmful online content, with Australia and parts of the European Union among those introducing stricter safeguards.
If adopted, the resolution will be sent to the federal government, which has legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation and digital platforms.
