With the pace of technological change today, the internet can feel both full of promise and anxiety, especially when considering the next generation of Pakistanis.
Young Pakistanis are increasingly using digital platforms to learn new skills, share their creativity and connect with wider communities. Some are teaching themselves coding, languages and digital storytelling through online resources and communities that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.
For many, the internet has become a space where they learn, create, express themselves and grow. This potential can also be seen in initiatives such as independent news platform The Current’s Google News Initiative-supported ‘Aap Ki Awaaz’ (Your Voice) programme, which brings university students directly into the newsroom by offering opportunities to contribute articles, participate in digital storytelling projects, and gain hands-on reporting experience alongside professional journalists.
At the same time, the risks are real and increasingly visible. Parents are understandably concerned about scams, cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation and the psychological effects of excessive online exposure. Around the world, governments are grappling with how to better protect children online – and Pakistan is no exception. Recent parliamentary discussions, proposals around restricting social media access for minors, and increasing regulatory attention reflect growing concern about child online safety in Pakistan.
These concerns deserve to be taken seriously. Children deserve an online environment where they can learn and express themselves safely. The question is not whether to act – it is how to act wisely, so that in protecting young people, we do not unintentionally narrow their opportunities to learn, connect and grow.
Last year, the Senate introduced a bill proposing to ban individuals under 16 from creating or holding social media accounts, but it was later withdrawn following concerns about enforceability and rigidity. Lawmakers have indicated plans to return with a revised, more balanced version.
The debate reflects a growing global challenge: how to protect children online without unintentionally limiting access to spaces that many young people rely on for learning, creativity and connection.
While we aim to shield youth from harm, it is important to recognise the role digital platforms now play in young people’s lives. Restricting access too broadly could result in a teenager learning coding losing access to mentorship and peer collaboration. A student practising English through conversations with native speakers abroad could be cut off from real-world language exchange. A young artist or musician may lose the ability to share work publicly, receive feedback and participate in global creative communities online.
These are not abstract concerns. Early adolescence is formative. These are the years when confidence grows, curiosity expands and lifelong skills begin to take shape. Today, many of those skills – digital literacy, collaboration, creativity and cultural exchange – are increasingly developed online.
International experience also shows why careful calibration matters. Australia’s move to ban social media accounts for users under 16 has already sparked debate about its effectiveness. An Australian government-linked survey found that nearly 70 per cent of under-16s who previously had social media accounts still retained access despite the ban, while emerging academic research found many young people viewed the restrictions as ‘unfair and ineffective’ and quickly learned ways to bypass them. Other studies have also raised concerns about reduced access to news and current affairs content.
This is not an argument against stronger protections but a call for a more balanced and thoughtful approach. As Pakistan considers social media restrictions for minors, the focus should be on how to create safer online experiences and not on limiting access. Effective child safety measures should recognise that young people use social media for meaningful purposes – from learning and creativity to communication and self-expression – and that safeguards, parental involvement and responsible platform design can reduce risks.
Platforms are already introducing more robust child safety measures. Meta rolled out enhanced AI-powered teen safety and age-assurance measures in Pakistan, including Teen Accounts, restrictions on contact with unknown users, stronger privacy defaults and AI systems designed to identify potentially underage users. They’ve also revamped Teen Accounts with content settings inspired by 13+ movie ratings criteria and parental feedback, so teens see age-appropriate content by default.
TikTok also has default privacy settings, age assurance and age-appropriate content for under-18 users and has expanded tools such as Family Pairing and screen-time management features. They have also partnered with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on its ‘Digital Hifazat’ initiative, which educates children, parents and teachers on digital safety.
YouTube has similarly introduced additional controls for mindful viewing, including parental controls over Shorts consumption and new content quality principles designed to guide recommendations for teenagers.
Good regulation should build on and encourage these efforts. Pakistan already has important building blocks in place through initiatives led by the PTA, NCRC, Unicef, PK-CERT and industry partners. The next step is to strengthen child-specific protections through parental empowerment, digital literacy, and age-appropriate safeguards.
Recent international guidance, such as that from the G7 and UNHCR, has similarly emphasised focusing on specific harms, embedding safety-by-design principles into digital services and providing parents with effective tools to help young people navigate online environments safely. When platforms invest in meaningful safety measures, and those efforts are recognised, it creates the right incentives. Companies compete to improve protections, parents gain greater confidence, and young people remain both safer and connected to opportunities for learning, creativity and self-expression.
Earlier this year, senators called for stronger safeguards. As these proposals continue to be debated and reconsidered, Pakistan has an opportunity to create a balanced child online safety framework.
Effective policy requires careful design, technical understanding and broad consultation with industry, educators, civil society, parents, and youth themselves. A cross-sector approach ensures that regulation reflects the real experiences and needs of the youth and keeps their wellbeing truly at the centre.
Pakistan has placed digital transformation at the centre of its national ambitions through initiatives such as the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025 and the newly established Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA).
With more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people under the age of 30, the choices made today regarding digital access and online safety will shape how an entire generation learns, connects, and participates in the digital future.
The writer is the managing director of Asia Tech Alliance.
