LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking a legal ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 16.
The resolution was presented in the assembly by lawmaker Sarah Ahmed. The resolution stated that protecting children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral development is the responsibility of the state.
It said excessive use of social media is exposing children to risks including cyberbullying and online sexual exploitation.
According to the resolution, children are also being exposed to inappropriate content, mental stress and other serious risks due to social media. It recommended that the federal government impose a legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16.
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The resolution noted that Australia, France, China and the United States have introduced laws concerning social media use by minors. It said that, in view of international trends, legislation is also necessary in Pakistan to ensure a safe future for children.
The lawmaker further proposed that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) introduce an effective age-verification system across all social media platforms.
The resolution also called for social media companies to be required to immediately prevent harmful content and ensure a safe digital environment.
It recommended that federal and provincial institutions launch digital awareness campaigns for parents, teachers and children on safe internet use.
The resolution further called for a coordinated system among federal and provincial institutions and effective legislation to ensure the online protection of children.
