LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday considered a petition seeking restrictions on the use of social media by children below 16 years of age and ordered relevant authorities to submit their responses by February 10.
Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the petition filed by Aalia Saleem, a class eight student, and issued notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Ministry of Law and Justice and other concerned departments.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice observed that the issue raised in the petition was sensitive in nature and required careful consideration. She said the issue also required attention at the policy level and should be looked into by the government accordingly.
Read: Senate urged to limit children’s use of social media
The petitioner argued that popular platforms, including TikTok and other social media applications, expose children to inappropriate content and negative behavioral influences that could harm their well-being and development. She said existing regulatory mechanisms were insufficient to protect minors from such risks.
The petition argued that safeguarding the fundamental rights of children was the responsibility of the state and regulatory intervention was necessary to ensure their protection. He urged the court to impose restrictions on the use of social media for children under 16.
The court issued notices to the PTA, the Department of Justice and other defendants, ordering them to submit their responses before the next hearing.
