LAHORE: A resolution to ban social media for children under the age of 16 and the introduction of an effective age-verification system for users has been tabled in the Punjab Assembly.
The resolution was presented by Sara Ahmed, a member of the Punjab assembly and chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Punjab.
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It was stated in the resolution that legislation is indispensable to protect children from cyberbullying, online exploitation, and exposure to inappropriate content.
The resolution calls on the federal government of Pakistan and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to establish an effective regulatory and monitoring system for underage users of social media platforms.
It was also mentioned that countries including Australia, France, China, as well as some states in the US, have already introduced similar measures aimed at strengthening children’s online safety.
Sarah Ahmed said that a safe digital environment is a fundamental right of every child and that timely legislation is needed to safeguard that right.