Pakistan: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought responses from the federal government and regulatory authorities on a petition seeking restrictions and safeguards for social media use by children under 16.
IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar heard the petition and issued notices to the Ministry of Information Technology, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).
The petition seeks the introduction of an age-verification mechanism for social media accounts belonging to children under 16 and a legal framework aimed at protecting minors from harmful online content, cyberbullying and harassment.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that protecting children’s best interests is a constitutional and legal responsibility of the state.
The counsel told the court that several countries had introduced or were considering age restrictions and other safety measures for minors using social media.
What did the IHC ask about existing regulations?
The court questioned Pemra over whether any existing law regulates children’s use of social media.
The counsel responded that no specific legislation had been enacted to regulate social media use by children and said Pemra could act only when a complaint was lodged.
Following the hearing, the court issued notices to the relevant ministries and regulatory authorities and directed the law officer to ensure compliance.
What does the petition seek?
The petition, filed by a citizen through lawyers Muhammad Jalal Haider and Yahya Fareed Khawaja, calls for a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework governing social media access by children under 16.
It seeks effective age verification, parental controls and safeguards against harmful content, cyberbullying, online harassment and other risks associated with social media use.
The petitioner has cited measures adopted or proposed in countries including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Spain as examples of international approaches to child online safety.
The petition also refers to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, arguing that the state has a responsibility to protect children’s digital rights, privacy and wellbeing.
The petitioner has asked the court to direct the federal government to introduce appropriate legislation and establish a dedicated mechanism for protecting children from risks associated with social media.