ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed in Pakistan’s Islamabad High Court seeking a ban on social media use by children under 16, as concerns grow over cyberbullying, online harassment, exploitation and exposure to harmful digital content.

The petition, filed by lawyers Yahya Fareed Khawaja and Jalal Haider Malik, calls for legislation to strengthen online protections for children. The court is expected to hear the petition next month.

The petition seeks a legal framework that would give parents greater control over their children’s social media use while imposing clear responsibilities on social media companies to protect underage users.

It also cites the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, adopted by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2021, which states that children’s rights apply equally in the digital environment.

The petition argues that protecting children’s privacy, safety, best interests and digital rights is a legal and constitutional responsibility of the state.

Calls for age restrictions

The legal challenge comes after a similar proposal was introduced in Pakistan’s Senate last year.

The Social Media (Age Limit for Users) Bill, 2025, introduced by Pakistan Peoples Party senators Sarmad Ali and Masroor Ahsan, proposed preventing children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Snapchat, YouTube and Threads.

The proposed legislation also recommended fines for platforms that failed to prevent underage users from creating accounts.

Yahya Fareed Khawaja said the main objective of the petition was to push the government towards legislation on children’s online safety.

“We want a complete ban on social media use by children under 16 and want platforms to take effective measures to verify users’ ages when accounts are created,” he said.

He added that limited access could potentially be allowed for educational purposes, social awareness or other specific circumstances under strict parental supervision and a regulatory framework.

Khawaja said Pakistan needed stronger laws covering issues such as cyberbullying, blackmail and online harassment involving children.

Bill expected to return to parliament

Senator Masroor Ahsan said the bill introduced last year had been withdrawn because it contained certain shortcomings and required further consultation with stakeholders.

He said the revised legislation was now in its final stages and would be brought back before parliament after consultations.

Ahsan said lawmakers were also reviewing the proposed age limit and other aspects of the legislation, adding that online safety had become a major concern for parents.

He said the proposed law would place greater responsibility on social media companies to take measures to protect children online.

International examples

The petition refers to measures adopted by Australia, Britain, New Zealand and European countries to regulate children’s access to social media.

Australia passed legislation in 2024 requiring major social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from maintaining accounts. The restrictions came into force at the end of last year.

In Britain, most major social media platforms generally set a minimum user age of 13, although concerns remain over how effectively age restrictions are enforced.

The debate in Pakistan is now focused on whether a blanket age-based ban is the most effective way to protect children or whether a broader system combining age verification, parental oversight, platform accountability and stronger action against cybercrime would provide better protection.

The Islamabad High Court’s consideration of the petition could bring renewed attention to Pakistan’s legal framework for protecting children in the rapidly expanding digital environment.