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A Kaspersky survey shows that Pakistani children frequently use apps like YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, but lack adequate safeguards against risks such as grooming and cyberbullying, especially with the advent of generative AI. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has acknowledged it lacks legal authority to impose age checks or restrict social media for under-16s. This raises questions about how Pakistan will protect children online through clear laws, responsible tech companies, digital education, and informed parental guidance.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A recent Kaspersky survey covering the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa region, including Pakistan, found that among surveyed children in Pakistan, YouTube is the most popular mobile app, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp. However, these apps expose young users to significant risks such as contact with strangers leading to grooming, fraud, blackmail, or abuse. The survey also highlights how generative AI technologies have complicated online safety issues by enabling cyberbullying through altered photos and videos. While PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) has acknowledged the lack of legal authority to impose mandatory age checks or restrict children under 16 from using social media platforms, the state's ability to address these growing dangers remains uncertain.
Written for “Child Safety Online” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
-
The problem is that while these dangers are growing, the state’s ability to respond remains unclear.
left criticizes lack of government action
-
This should lead to a wider debate about how Pakistan protects children online.
left calls for policy discussion on child protection
-
Whatever system is put in place, it must go beyond blocking websites and apps. Social media platforms should be required to make children’s accounts safer, offer simple reporting tools, and respond quickly to grooming, fake content, and abuse.
left advocates for regulatory measures on tech companies
-
Schools should teach children how to recognise online risks, while parents need to talk openly with them about strangers, personal information, and troubling online conversations.
left emphasizes education and parental involvement in child protection
Leaning: leans strongly left for article 57241 (high confidence, 4 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-05
PAKISTANI children are spending more of their lives online, but the safeguards around them are not keeping pace.
asserted
safeguards → spend → pace
A recent Kaspersky survey covering the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa region, including Pakistan, found YouTube to be the most popular mobile app among children surveyed here, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp.
asserted
YouTube → cover → Instagram
The more important issue, however, is what children may face once they are online.
uncertain
they → face → what
Multiplayer games and communication platforms can put young users in direct contact with strangers.
asserted
games → put → strangers
This can expose them to grooming, fraud, blackmail, and other forms of abuse.
asserted
This → expose → abuse
Generative AI has made the problem more complicated.
asserted
problem → make → ?
Photos and videos shared online can now be altered into convincing fake images or clips and used for cyberbullying or harassment.
asserted
Photos → share → cyberbullying
The survey figures should not be treated as a complete picture of all Pakistani children, but the risks it highlights are serious.
asserted
it → treat → children
The problem is that while these dangers are growing, the state’s ability to respond remains unclear.
uncertain
ability → grow → ?
The PTA has told the Islamabad High Court that it does not have the legal authority to impose mandatory age checks or stop children under 16 from using social media.
asserted
it → tell → media
This should lead to a wider debate about how Pakistan protects children online.
asserted
Pakistan → lead → children
The answer cannot simply be to demand restrictions that a regulator may not have the power or technical means to enforce.
uncertain
regulator → demand → power
The PTA has also noted that because major platforms use HTTPS encryption, regulators may be unable to block one harmful page or post without affecting access to the entire platform.
uncertain
regulators → note → platform
At the same time, the 2025 amendments to Peca provide for a new ‘Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority’, raising questions about which body will ultimately be responsible and what powers it will have.
asserted
it → provide → powers
Whatever system is put in place, it must go beyond blocking websites and apps.
asserted
it → put → websites
Social media platforms should be required to make children’s accounts safer, offer simple reporting tools, and respond quickly to grooming, fake content, and abuse.
asserted
accounts → require → grooming
Any age-checking system must also protect privacy.
asserted
system → check → privacy
Schools should teach children how to recognise online risks, while parents need to talk openly with them about strangers, personal information, and troubling online conversations.
asserted
parents → teach → strangers
Protecting children online will require clear laws, responsible technology companies, better digital education, and informed parents working together.
asserted
Protecting → protect → laws
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