ISLAMABAD: After several countries around the world imposed restrictions on social media use by young children, debate on the issue has now begun in Pakistan as well.
A petition in this regard has been filed in the Islamabad High Court. Speaking to media, the petitioner’s lawyer said the petition requests the court to regulate social media use for children under 16 years of age in the country and to enact legislation on it.
The petition also asks the court to introduce a system for age verification of children. The petition argues that children are falling victim to cyberbullying, online harassment and harmful content. Therefore, the state should establish a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework to address the issue.
With smartphones and cheap internet, Pakistani kids are on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram earlier than ever. Parents, schools, and courts are seeing more cases of online harassment, leaked videos, and mental health issues linked to social media.
This petition is likely the first major legal push in Pakistan to mirror what Australia and US states have done. The court will now decide whether to issue notices to PTA, the Ministry of IT, and social media platforms to respond.
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