Punjab Assembly Calls for Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the federal government to introduce legislation that would prevent children under the age of 16 from maintaining social media accounts.
The resolution was presented by government lawmaker Sarah Ahmed. It emphasized that the state has a responsibility to safeguard children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral well-being.
According to the resolution, unrestricted social media use can expose children to risks such as cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and age-inappropriate content. It also highlighted concerns about mental stress and other difficulties associated with excessive use of social platforms.
PTA Urged to Introduce Age Verification
The Punjab Assembly has also called on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to develop an effective age-verification mechanism for social media platforms.
The proposed system would be designed to stop users below 16 from creating or keeping social media accounts.
The resolution further urged social media companies to take greater responsibility for protecting young users. Platforms were encouraged to prevent harmful material from reaching children and create safer online environments.
Resolution Refers to International Examples
While supporting the proposed restrictions, the Punjab Assembly pointed to regulations adopted in several other countries.
Australia, France, China and the United States were cited as examples of nations that have introduced measures dealing with children’s access to social media.
The assembly said Pakistan should also strengthen its legal framework to protect children from online risks and promote a safer digital environment.
Awareness Campaigns Also Recommended
The resolution called for federal and provincial authorities to launch awareness campaigns focused on responsible and safe internet use.
These initiatives would aim to educate parents, teachers and children about potential online dangers and ways to use digital platforms more safely.
The Punjab Assembly also stressed the need for cooperation between federal and provincial institutions to establish a coordinated approach to child online safety.
It recommended further legislation and stronger safeguards to provide comprehensive protection for children in Pakistan’s increasingly digital environment.
