Social media age verification: IHC direct authorities to submit reply

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the relevant ministries and authorities to submit their replies to a petition seeking a regulatory framework for social media use by children under 16 years of age.

IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar on Monday, after hearing the arguments of the parties, issued notices to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) with the direction to submit replies within 15 days.

Waqas Nasir, through advocates Muhammad Jalal Haider and Yahya Farid Khawaja, earlier this month filed a petition seeking legislation on the matter and the introduction of an effective age-verification mechanism for social media accounts.

Advocate Haider argued that an effective age-verification mechanism should be introduced for social media accounts operated by children. He contended that legislation was urgently required to protect children from cyber-bullying, online harassment, harmful and inappropriate content, and other risks associated with the use of social media platforms.

The lawyer argued that safeguarding the best interests of children was a “constitutional and legal responsibility of the state” and that the government should introduce effective legislation in line with international practices.

Justice Dogar inquired whether PEMRA had any law dealing with the issue. Haider replied that PEMRA had legal powers to take action against a person based on a complaint, but currently, there was no specific legislation regulating children’s access to social media.

The CJ further asked whether any law had so far been enacted specifically for this purpose, to which the counsel stated ‘no’. He then issued notices to the relevant ministries and authorities, seeking their responses within 15 days. The Chief Justice also directed the law officer to ensure the implementation of the notices.

The petitioner has urged the IHC to direct the government to formulate a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for the online protection of children, including special safeguards governing their access to social media.

The plea contended that children were increasingly exposed to the harmful effects of social media, including cyber-bullying, online harassment, and inappropriate or harmful content, requiring the state to introduce a comprehensive legal and regulatory mechanism for their protection.

The petitioner also urged the court to direct the government to formulate a policy covering digital rights, privacy, and mental and physical safety of children, and to impose specific responsibilities on social media platforms to safeguard minors online.

He stated that several countries around the world had already introduced age restrictions and safety measures for children’s use of social media and contended that legislation in this connection would be part of an emerging international trend for protecting children in the digital environment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026