A petition filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeks legislation preventing the minor population under 16 from using social media accounts in Pakistan.
The petition argues that minors face significantly higher risks from sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, and harmful online content, with greater expansion of social media making stronger protection essential.
Proposed age verification system
Lawyer Jalal Haider, representing petitioner Waqas Nasir along with lawyers Yahya Farid Khwaja and Muhammad Zeshan Ali, stated the petition has drawn on Australia’s under-16 social media restrictions as a model.
The proposal calls for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to develop an age-verification system that would ban the social media use of people under 16 across the country.
Moreover, the petition has proposed penalties for parents who let children to bypass the restrictions and asks social media platforms to comply with Pakistani laws.
Concerns over children’s online exposure
The petition invokes the legal principle of parens patriae, under which the state can act as a guardian to protect minors.
Haider stated children are particularly vulnerable because they may be unable to seek help independently when facing online abuse or exploitation.
Pakistan has a bigger population of youngsters, while social media use has significantly expanded.
As per DataReportal, the country had nearly 117 million internet users and 79.9 million social media user identities.
Moreover, International health authorities have raised concerns regarding excessive social media use among adolescents and exposure to harmful content.
Nationwide law sought
The petition asks the federal government to introduce legislation that would apply nationwide. If approved, the proposed framework would place responsibilities on parents, technology platforms and relevant government agencies to enforce the minimum age requirement.
