The Islamabad High Court has asked the federal government to detail steps protecting children under 16 from social media harms. The court emphasized the rising mental health and privacy risks minors face online, urging immediate regulatory action. The decision affects parents, policymakers, and all social media users under the legal age limit.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued a written order based on a petition filed by a father concerned about his child’s social media use. The court requested a response by March 3, including measures to prevent online harms and progress on creating a dedicated regulatory authority. The High Court stressed that unregulated access poses serious physical, psychological, and privacy-related threats to minors.
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The Ministry of Information Technology, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and PEMRA were instructed to submit para-wise comments. Authorities must report on social media regulation, monitoring, and implementation of recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The court highlighted the importance of age verification mechanisms to ensure children’s safe online engagement.
Experts note that countries worldwide have enacted strict laws to limit minors’ exposure to online content, highlighting Pakistan’s lag in regulation. The court reinforced that protecting children aligns with Pakistan’s constitutional mandate and international best practices. Judges warned that failure to regulate social media could worsen mental health issues and privacy violations among youth.
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In addition, the court asked the federal government to outline a regulatory framework and preventive measures, including monitoring and reporting mechanisms. Islamabad High Court emphasized collaboration between authorities and social media companies to ensure minors’ safety. The ruling signals increased judicial scrutiny of digital safety policies in Pakistan, encouraging swift government action.