Senate Introduces Bill to Ban Social Media for Users Under 16
In a major move to enhance online safety for minors, the Senate introduces a bill that seeks to ban social media use for individuals under 16. Senators Sarmad Ali and Syed Masroor Ahsan tabled the Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill 2025 on Monday.
This law is meant to keep kids safe from the dangers that are becoming more common on social media, like cyberbullying, harmful content, and screen addiction. It makes individuals and social media companies directly responsible for keeping kids from getting in.
Clear Penalties and Strict Compliance
The bill outlines strict consequences. Any person or company that allows under-16 users on social media could face fines ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs5 million. In extreme cases, the violator may also face up to six months in jail.
Also, platforms need to have strong systems for checking users’ ages. If the bill passes, these companies will have to block accounts of users who are underage and check all new users before letting them in.
But the bill does give service providers some protection. If a minor makes an account with false information and the company can show that it did everything it could to stop this, it won’t be sued.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will serve as the lead enforcement body. It will have the authority to:
- Shut down underage accounts
- Create and enforce rules and procedures
- Resolve legal disputes
- Issue orders and apply penalties
With this, PTA will play a crucial role in regulating how platforms operate in Pakistan.
Which Platforms Will Be Affected?
If the law passes, it will apply to all major platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, Bigo Live, Threads, and more.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani has sent the bill to the right standing committee for review. This bill will make a big change to Pakistan’s digital policy if it passes both houses. It will set a new standard for keeping kids safe online.
