By: Syed Miqdad Mehdi
Every few months, the same call resurfaces in Pakistan: ban social media. The triggers vary — misinformation, moral panic, online abuse, political polarisation — but the prescription is familiar. Shut it down.
The instinct is understandable. Digital platforms can amplify harm at scale. Children are exposed to cyberbullying, exploitation, harassment and harmful content in ways that previous generations never experienced. But banning social media may offer a sense of decisiveness without delivering actual protection.
The starting point must be legal clarity. Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, subject to reasonable restrictions. Pakistan is also a State party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, whose Article 13 recognises children’s right to seek, receive and impart information. Social media today is not a luxury. It is where young people learn, connect, organise, and increasingly build economic opportunity. Silencing platforms would not only remove harmful content; it would also mute constructive participation.
None of this denies the risks. Online sexual exploitation, grooming, privacy violations and misinformation are serious and documented threats. Pakistan’s institutional capacity to respond remains uneven. Reporting mechanisms are often unclear. Digital literacy among parents and educators is limited. Law enforcement agencies face technical and resource constraints. These weaknesses deserve attention.
But prohibition is a blunt response to a complex problem. Harm does not disappear when platforms are restricted; it migrates, adapts and often becomes harder to detect.
What Pakistan needs is not symbolic action but structural reform.
Regulation must be precise and proportionate. Platforms operating in Pakistan should be required to adopt age-appropriate design standards, strengthen content moderation and maintain accessible complaint systems. Enforcement agencies dealing with online child exploitation must be properly resourced and trained in digital forensics. Coordination between cybercrime units and child protection institutions should be routine, not reactive.
Prevention is equally important. Digital literacy should be embedded within school curricula, equipping children to understand privacy, consent and online risk. Parents and teachers need practical guidance, not alarmist messaging. Protection begins with awareness.
At the same time, technology companies cannot operate without responsibility. Transparency reports, local grievance mechanisms and cooperation with lawful investigations should be standard practice. Accountability must be shared between the state, platforms and families.
Existing legislation, including the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, provides a legal framework, but enforcement must remain focused on harmful conduct rather than broad expression. Safeguards against overreach are essential. Regulation that undermines constitutional freedoms ultimately weakens its own legitimacy.
The digital ecosystem does not respect borders. Online exploitation networks operate across jurisdictions. Pakistan should therefore deepen cooperation with international partners addressing child sexual exploitation and digital safety. Isolation does not enhance protection; collaboration does.
The real policy question is not whether social media should exist in Pakistan. It already does, and it will continue to. The real question is whether we respond with reflexive bans or with intelligent governance.
Blanket prohibitions create the appearance of control. Thoughtful regulation, institutional capacity building and rights-based safeguards create durable solutions.
Protecting children online and upholding freedom of expression are not opposing objectives. They are parallel obligations. A confident state should be able to do both.
The writer is a Lahore-based Advocate of the High Court and human rights practitioner. He tweets at @miqdadnaqvi
