Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution calling for an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16 amid concerns over cyberbullying, online exploitation and the impact of excessive screen time on minors.
Lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who is also Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau, tabled the resolution on Tuesday.
According to a Punjab Assembly spokesperson, the House unanimously adopted the resolution, with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also backing the move.
The provincial assembly recommended that the federal government introduce legislation restricting social media access for children below 16.
The resolution also sought comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from risks associated with the digital world.
“Unrestricted access to social media is exposing minors to a range of threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress,” the resolution said.
It cited measures introduced by Australia, France, China and several US states to regulate children’s access to social media and called for similar legal safeguards in Pakistan.
The resolution comes amid growing global concern over children’s online safety, with studies examining links between excessive social media use, mental health problems, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
Australia and several European countries have recently moved towards tougher age-based restrictions on social media platforms, while other governments are considering stricter age-verification mechanisms and stronger laws aimed at protecting children online.
