FCC urged to restrict social media for children

LAHORE:

A plea was filed in the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) seeking directions to the government to restrict social media access for children below 16 years of age, introduce a mandatory age-verification mechanism, and take measures to shield minors from cyberbullying, sexualised content, addiction, and other harmful material.

Last week, the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution recommending measures to restrict social media access for children under the age of 16 and ensure their safety in the digital environment. The resolution recommended measures to protect children from cyber harassment, online sexual exploitation and inappropriate content. It also called for an effective age-verification mechanism on social media platforms to identify underage users.

The plea sought directions to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to strictly enforce its Code of Conduct and prevent the airing of indecent scenes and depiction of alcohol in television dramas and advertisements during hours when children are likely to be watching.

The petitioners asked the court to direct the federal government to legislate or amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, to impose restrictions on social media access for children.