Country profile

Pakistan age-verification & online ID laws

Proposed Under-16 social-media bill (withdrawn, under revision)

A July 2025 Senate bill would have banned social media for under-16s with age verification and even jailed adults who created accounts for minors; it was withdrawn in August 2025 amid controversy.

Laws & bills on record

Social media

Proposed

Bill / statute: Under-16 social-media bill (withdrawn, under revision)
Status: Proposed bill (not yet law)

A July 2025 Senate bill would have banned social media for under-16s with age verification and even jailed adults who created accounts for minors; it was withdrawn in August 2025 amid controversy. The government is still pursuing a lower age limit (13-14) without the jail penalty.

Timeline

Jul 1, 2025Senate under-16 bill introduced
Aug 1, 2025Bill withdrawn after controversy
Jan 1, 2026Proposed

Source: en.wikipedia.org

VPN restrictions

VPNs are legal for registered businesses; in late 2024 the PTA extended registration requirements to individuals and began blocking unregistered VPN apps.

Effective: 2024

Source: freedomhouse.org

Frequently asked questions

Does Pakistan require age checks or ID to use social media?

Not yet -- a bill is pending. Under-16 social-media bill (withdrawn, under revision) is proposed. A July 2025 Senate bill would have banned social media for under-16s with age verification and even jailed adults who created accounts for minors; it was withdrawn in August 2025 amid controversy.

Are VPNs restricted in Pakistan?

VPNs are legal for registered businesses; in late 2024 the PTA extended registration requirements to individuals and began blocking unregistered VPN apps.

← See Pakistan on the world map

Other countries

Browse all 173 countries