LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday took up a petition seeking to restrict the use of social media by children below the age of 16 and directed the relevant authorities to submit their response by February 10.
Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the petition filed by Aalia Saleem, a class eight student, and issued notices to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Ministry of Law and Justice and other concerned departments.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice observed that the issue in the petition was of a sensitive nature and required careful consideration. She said the matter also needed attention at the political level and should be looked into by the government accordingly.
Read: The Senate is urged to rein in 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 can harm their well-being and development. She said existing regulatory mechanisms were insufficient to protect minors from such risks.
The petition maintained that the protection of the fundamental rights of children was the responsibility of the state and that regulatory intervention was necessary to ensure their protection. It called on the court to impose restrictions on the use of social media by children under the age of 16.
The court issued notices to the PTA, Law Ministry and other respondents directing them to file their replies before the next hearing.
