LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought responses from the federal government and other relevant authorities on a petition calling for a ban on social media use by children under the age of 16.
The petition was heard by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and was filed by Aliya Saleem and others through Advocate Shiza Qureshi. During the hearing, Justice Neelum remarked that the issue was significant and involved public policy, which should be addressed by the government.
Arguing the case, the petitioner’s counsel maintained that unrestricted access to social media was harming children’s mental health as well as their moral and educational development. She added that several developed countries were moving towards regulating social media use by underage children.
The court was informed that Australia imposed restrictions on children’s access to social media in December 2025, while France, Norway, Malaysia and New Zealand were in various stages of drafting similar legislation.
The petitioner requested the court to direct authorities to impose a complete ban on social media use for children below 16 years of age.
Chief Justice Neelum directed a law officer to seek instructions from the government and submit a report by February 16.
The issue has also been raised in parliament. Earlier this month, Senators Falak Naz, Fawzia Arshad, Aimal Wali Khan, Saadia Abbasi and Dilawar Khan urged stricter monitoring of social media platforms used by children under 18.
During the Senate session, presiding officer Sherry Rehman noted the need for safeguards and suggested the formation of a special committee to consult relevant ministries and develop regulatory measures.
Previously, in September, the LHC had issued notices to the federal government and other respondents on a separate petition seeking a ban on Facebook and TikTok for children.