Islamabad:
The Senate presented the “Restriction for Users) bill of the” restriction for users “, which aims to ban people under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts.
The bill was presented on Monday by Sarmad Ali and Masroor Ahmed senators, marking an important step towards safeguarding minors from online exploitation, cyberbullying and harmful content.
The bill offers severe sanctions for violations. Social media platforms that allow users of minors are fines ranging from RS50,000 to RS5 million. In addition, people who help minors create accounts could incur up to six months in prison.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be responsible for the abolition of all existing social media accounts of minors, with the power to write and implement regulations concerning the issue.
Find out more: Not under 16 on social networks: New Zealand
The bill grants legal responsibility for social media companies to prevent minors’ access, aligning Pakistan’s policy with those of Australia and New Zealand in order to promote digital security.
Senator Sarmad Ali highlighted the government on the protection of children in the digital age, noting that the bill is a vital measure to reduce online damage. It also aims to educate digital among parents and children, ensuring a safer online environment for young users.
Last year, Australian legislators also adopted a bill similar to the ban on under 16 social media, approving one of the most difficult repression in the world on popular sites like Facebook, Instagram and X.
The legislation ordered social media companies to take “reasonable measures” to prevent young adolescents from having accounts was adopted in the Senate with 34 votes in favor and 19 against.
