LAHORE, September 1, 2026: The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution seeking a legal ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 16, ARY News reported.
The resolution was presented in the House by government MPA 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. Children are also facing inappropriate content, mental stress and other serious risks because of social media, it added.
The Punjab Assembly recommended that the federal government impose a legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16.
The resolution noted that Australia, France, China and the United States have introduced laws regulating social media use by underage children.
It said legislation in Pakistan is also necessary to ensure a safe future for children in view of international trends.
The resolution called on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to introduce an effective age-verification system across all social media platforms.
It also recommended making social media companies responsible for immediately preventing harmful content and providing a safe digital environment.
The resolution further called for federal and provincial institutions to launch digital awareness campaigns for parents, teachers and children on safe internet use.
It stressed the need for a coordinated system among federal and provincial institutions and effective legislation for the online protection of children.
