Pakistan Senate Moves to Ban Social Media for Under-16s

In a landmark move, the Senate of Pakistan has been presented with the Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill 2025, introduced by Senators Sarmad Ali and Syed Masroor Ahsan. The bill aims to prohibit individuals under the age of 16 from creating or operating accounts on social media platforms.

This initiative comes amid growing concerns over the negative impacts of social media on young users, including cyberbullying, harmful content exposure, privacy risks, and online exploitation. The bill seeks to align Pakistan’s digital policies with international standards, including recent steps taken by Australia and New Zealand.

Under the proposed legislation, social media platforms will be legally bound to implement strict age verification systems to block under-16 users from registering accounts. Failure to comply will expose these companies to heavy fines ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 5 million.

The bill also outlines punishment for individuals who help minors bypass age restrictions, with violators facing up to six months in jail and fines exceeding Rs. 50,000. This includes anyone who produces fake documents or evidence to help a minor create an account.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is given a central role under the bill. It will be responsible for:

• Blocking all existing accounts operated by under-16 users.
• Issuing and updating rules to ensure compliance.
• Resolving ambiguities or difficulties in implementing the act.

The bill highlights the urgent need to safeguard children’s privacy, mental health, and digital well-being, calling for public awareness campaigns to educate both parents and children about responsible social media use.

According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the bill, “There are signs that social media use can have a negative impact on young people.” It stresses that this proactive legal approach is essential as the online environment becomes more complex and potentially harmful for young users.

In practical terms, the bill covers major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Snapchat, YouTube, and Threads. All these platforms will need to verify that their account holders are at least 16 years old, using methods approved by the PTA.

Failure to prevent access by underage users due to reasonable reliance on provided information will not make platforms liable, giving some protection to companies acting in good faith. However, intentional or negligent violations will carry steep financial and legal consequences.

Importantly, the bill’s scope extends across the entire country, applying to all residents and all social media platforms operating within Pakistan.

Speaking about the bill, officials emphasized its purpose “to provide a safer digital environment, prevent exploitation, and shield children from cyber harm.” The bill also points toward fostering digital literacy among families, helping them navigate the challenges of the online world.

Observers note that this legislative step could mark a major shift in Pakistan’s digital policy, placing it alongside countries that have already taken bold steps to regulate social media for young users.

With its submission in the Senate, the bill now awaits debate and potential passage. If approved, it will signal a strong message from Pakistan’s lawmakers: the digital safety and mental health of the country’s youth cannot be compromised.

The coming weeks will reveal how the Senate and broader society respond to this significant proposal, a development that could reshape how millions of young Pakistanis interact with social media in the future.

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