LAHORE: Pakistan’s growing debate over children’s exposure to social media has reached the Punjab Assembly, which unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday urging the federal government to bar children under 16 from holding social media accounts.
The move, led by government MPA Sarah Ahmed, calls for new legislation, stronger age verification and greater accountability from platforms over content that could put young users at risk.
The resolution says the state has a responsibility to safeguard children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral development. Lawmakers warned that unrestricted access to social media can expose young users to cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and inappropriate content while contributing to stress and other mental health concerns.
The proposed restriction would apply to children younger than 16 and would require federal legislation before it could become a nationwide legal measure.
The assembly urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to establish a reliable age-verification mechanism for social media platforms.
Such a system would be intended to stop children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts and would give platforms and regulators a way to enforce any future age-based restrictions.
Lawmakers also called on social media companies to do more to protect minors from harmful material. The resolution recommends that platforms take steps to prevent inappropriate content from reaching children and provide stronger safeguards for young users.
The proposal reflects a growing concern that simply giving children access to digital platforms without adequate protections can leave them vulnerable to risks that extend beyond the online world.
In supporting the call for legislation, the Punjab Assembly pointed to regulatory measures in several countries, including Australia, France, China and the United States.
The resolution said Pakistan should develop its own legal framework for protecting children online while keeping pace with international efforts to address the risks associated with social media.
The reference to foreign measures comes as governments in several countries grapple with questions over how to verify users’ ages, protect children’s privacy and hold technology companies accountable without unnecessarily restricting access to digital services.
The assembly also called for federal and provincial institutions to launch digital-awareness campaigns targeting children, parents and teachers.
The campaigns would focus on responsible internet use and help families recognize risks such as cyberbullying, online exploitation and exposure to inappropriate material.
Lawmakers emphasized that protecting children online will require cooperation among government institutions, schools, families and social media companies.
The resolution therefore goes beyond an age restriction, calling for a broader approach that combines legislation, age verification, platform responsibility and public education.
The measure itself does not immediately ban social media accounts for children under 16. Instead, it asks the federal government to introduce legislation that would establish such a restriction across Pakistan.
