IHC seeks govt’s response on under-16s using social media

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought a response from the federal government by 3 March regarding measures taken to protect children under the age of 16 from the harmful effects of social media use.

The court has also called for a progress report on the proposed establishment of a Social Media Regulatory Authority.

The written order was issued in a petition filed by the father of a minor, Akbar Khan Shinwari.

Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir released a two-page order directing the Ministry of Information Technology, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and PEMRA to submit para-wise comments.

According to the order, the relevant authorities must present a report on the implementation of social media regulation, monitoring mechanisms, and the recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

The court also sought details of the regulatory framework devised for minors’ use of social media, including mechanisms for age verification.

The IHC further directed the government to clarify its constitutional mandate concerning child protection. The court observed that safeguarding children from online harm is of significant importance, noting that unregulated social media use poses serious risks to minors.

The order highlighted concerns including mental health issues and violations of privacy arising from unrestricted social media access for children.

The petitioner argued that several countries around the world have enacted laws regulating social media use by minors, and urged similar safeguards to be implemented in Pakistan.