Social media companies face increasing scrutiny around the world over concerns that their platforms are contributing to a mental health crisis among children. PHOTO: PEXELS
ISLAMABAD:
Just over a decade ago, social media was widely celebrated for transforming the way people connect, learn and communicate. Today, the conversation has changed.
As smartphones and social media become deeply embedded in everyday life, governments around the world are increasingly discussing how to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying and excessive screen time.
One proposal that is gaining ground is to restrict access to social media for minors, particularly those under 16 years of age.
Pakistan has now entered that debate. A resolution recently tabled in the Punjab Assembly, calling on the federal government to restrict social media accounts for children under 16 without verified parental consent, is the latest in a series of attempts to regulate the online activity of minors.
It follows similar efforts in the Senate and the courts over the past year, none of which have so far resulted in binding legislation.
MP Sarah Ahmad, who chairs the Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, wants the federal government to legislate four measures: a ban on social media accounts for children under 16 without verified parental consent, an age verification system enforced by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), legal obligations on platforms to quickly remove harmful content, and awareness campaigns for parents and teachers.
However, since the regulation of telecommunications and Internet falls within the federal legislative ambit, the Punjab Assembly resolution is recommendatory rather than binding. Therefore, any nationwide restrictions would require federal legislation.
Pakistan, however, has already tried twice.
In July 2025, the Senate introduced the Social Media (Age Restriction of Users) Bill, 2025. It proposed banning minors under 16 from accessing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, imposing fines of up to Rs 5 million on platforms that did not comply, and imprisoning adults who help minors open accounts. The bill also empowered the PTA to delete existing minor accounts. Weeks later, however, it was quietly withdrawn after interested parties argued that the proposed age limit and penalties were too rigid. Senators promised a revised, softer version, but it never resurfaced.
The issue returned to the Senate on January 16, 2026, when some senators raised it again through a call for attention, this time proposing restrictions for those under 18 years of age instead of those under 16. The government’s response was to propose the formation of a committee. No formal legislation followed.
Meanwhile, the courts have been pushing the issue more actively than parliament. There are currently two requests pending.
In Lahore, a petition filed by an eighth-grade student led Chief Justice Aalia Neelum to order a judicial officer to seek instructions from the government and report back by mid-February. Since then, no public results of that hearing have emerged.
In Islamabad, a petition filed by a 12-year-old boy led the Islamabad High Court to order the PTA and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to submit a report by March 3 on age verification mechanisms and progress towards establishing a proposed Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority. However, as no one appeared at the hearing, the case was adjourned until April 20. Neither case has produced a public resolution since.
Pakistan is not alone in debating age limits for social media, but countries have taken different approaches.
Australia has taken the toughest stance, banning social media accounts for those under 16 and holding platforms responsible for preventing underage users from accessing their services through age-control measures. Indonesia and Malaysia have also moved towards stricter restrictions, while China has progressively restricted minors’ access to digital platforms in recent years.
Others have taken a less restrictive approach. Brazil requires greater parental involvement and age verification rather than an outright ban, while several European countries are still debating similar legislation. France’s proposal, for example, has come under scrutiny by the European Commission for its compatibility with EU law, highlighting the legal and practical challenges of regulating children’s access to social media.
Pakistan is currently in the same “under discussion” category as India, Germany, Canada and Nigeria, behind countries that have already enacted or passed such laws. But would such a proposal be viable in Pakistan?
Social development activist Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, who has worked on digital policy, is skeptical that such a move will significantly improve the situation, given Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. He argues that without a robust, privacy-preserving age verification system, law enforcement would be easy to circumvent through false age claims, VPNs, or shared accounts.
In their view, account-level bans have limited value. While they may reduce access for some children, they do not address the root causes of cyberbullying, harmful content or overuse of social media and could instead push young users towards less regulated platforms. He argues that the most effective approach lies in greater platform accountability, age-appropriate design, parental controls and digital literacy, rather than a strict age barrier.
