ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought responses from the federal government and key regulatory authorities to a petition seeking a legal framework to regulate social media access by children under 16.
IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar issued notices to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).
The respondents have been directed to submit their replies within 15 days, while the court instructed the law officer to ensure that the notices are duly served.
The petition, filed earlier this month, calls for legislation governing children’s use of social media and the introduction of a reliable age-verification mechanism for accounts operated by minors.
During Monday’s hearing, the court was told that children faced growing risks from social media, including cyberbullying, online harassment and exposure to harmful or age-inappropriate content.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that an effective mechanism was needed to verify the age of social media users and prevent children from accessing platforms without appropriate safeguards.
According to the petition, protecting the best interests of children was a constitutional and legal responsibility of the state. It urged the government to introduce legislation consistent with international practices for protecting minors in the digital environment.
In response to a court query about whether Pemra had any existing law specifically dealing with children’s access to social media, the counsel said the regulator had legal powers to act against individuals on the basis of complaints, but there was currently no specific legislation regulating children’s access to social media platforms.
The court also asked whether any law had been enacted specifically to address the issue. The petitioner’s counsel responded that no such legislation had been introduced so far.
Petition seeks comprehensive safeguards
The petition asks the court to direct the government to develop a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for protecting children online, including specific safeguards governing their use of social media.
The petitioner maintains that children are increasingly vulnerable to cyberbullying, online harassment and exposure to harmful content on digital platforms.
He has called for a government policy covering children’s digital rights, privacy and mental and physical safety, while also seeking clearly defined responsibilities for social media companies to protect underage users.
The petition further argues that a number of countries have already introduced age restrictions and other safety measures governing children’s use of social media.
Pakistan, it contends, should also establish an appropriate legal framework as part of wider international efforts to protect children in the digital sphere.
The petitioner relies on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, arguing that safeguarding children’s best interests should be treated as a legal obligation of the state rather than merely a matter of government policy.
Issue gains political attention
The question of restricting children’s access to social media has also gained attention in the Punjab Assembly. Last month, a legislator submitted a resolution calling for a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16 without parental consent.
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The resolution urged the provincial government to approach the federal government for comprehensive legislation regulating children’s access to social media platforms and strengthening online safety measures.
The IHC proceedings come amid growing debate over how Pakistan should balance children’s access to digital platforms with concerns about online safety, privacy and exposure to harmful content.
Global trend towards tighter controls
The petition comes amid a growing international debate over age restrictions and other safeguards for children on social media.
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 25 OECD member and accession candidate economies had social-media age restrictions either in force, enacted or under active consideration as of April 2026, compared with just one in 2023.
Australia has already implemented a nationwide minimum age of 16 for social media accounts, while other jurisdictions are considering or developing similar measures.
UNICEF has also documented a growing number of jurisdictions introducing or considering age-based restrictions, while stressing that age limits should form part of broader measures to protect children online.
