Web Desk: The Islamabad High Court has been asked to direct the federal government to introduce legislation regulating social media use by children under the age of 16, amid growing international debate over online safety for minors.
The petition, filed through lawyers Muhammad Jalal Haider and Yahya Fareed Khawaja, calls for a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework to protect children from cyberbullying, online harassment, harmful content and other risks associated with social media platforms.
The petitioners have also urged the court to require an effective age-verification mechanism for children attempting to create or operate social media accounts.
The petition asks authorities to establish measures covering age verification, parental oversight and safeguards against material considered harmful to children.
It also calls for social media companies to assume specific responsibilities for protecting minors and for the creation of a dedicated mechanism to monitor and regulate online platforms with children’s safety in mind.
The petitioners argue that protecting children’s best interests is a legal and constitutional responsibility of the state and that policymakers should also consider children’s digital rights and privacy.
The petition refers to legislation and proposed measures in several countries as examples of how governments are attempting to address children’s exposure to social media.
Australia’s restrictions concerning social media accounts for children under 16 have been cited as a comparative example.
The petition also refers to measures in France that link social media access for children below a specified age to parental consent.
Britain’s Online Safety Act 2023 has also been cited for its provisions concerning the protection of children online.
In addition, the petition refers to proposed measures in New Zealand and Spain concerning social media access for children under 16.
The petitioners describe these developments as evidence of an emerging international focus on age-based restrictions and stronger digital safeguards for minors.
The petition also invokes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, which addresses children’s rights in relation to the digital environment.
The petitioners argue that Pakistan should develop policies that protect children’s privacy, digital rights and mental and physical well-being while ensuring that their best interests remain central to government decision-making.
The petition names the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as respondents.
It asks the Islamabad High Court to direct the federal government to introduce appropriate legislation specifically addressing social media use by children under 16.
The petitioners have also called for a dedicated social media protection and regulatory mechanism to coordinate measures aimed at safeguarding minors online.
The case comes as governments in several countries examine whether existing online-safety rules adequately protect children from risks associated with social media.
The petition argues that Pakistan should develop its own effective framework while considering international approaches to age verification, parental consent, platform accountability and protection from harmful online material.
The court’s consideration of the petition could add to the country’s wider debate over how to balance children’s access to digital platforms with privacy, safety and other fundamental rights.
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