The telecoms of Pakistan and the world biggest social media platform are inking a pact to ensure the safety of children online.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) agreement with Meta to launch a partnership to support online safety and digital literacy for youth and responsible usage of digital platforms in Pakistan. PTA confirmed the agreement in its statement on Tuesday.
The partnership also facilitate ongoing and open dialogue between the two parties for the purpose of fostering common understanding about content safety protocols particularly with respect to Pakistan.
PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez ur Rehman stated that the objective of the authority is to inculcate digital literacy, instill responsible online behaviour and create a safer digital habitat, especially for children and young users.
The agreement will enable a joint effort in four main areas capacity building, policy dialogue, awareness raising and sharing of good practices in the field of youth online safety and digital wellbeing globally.
Capacity building will involve building technical knowledge and specialized skills of stakeholders to better prepare them to address new online safety issues as they arise. The policy dialogue, on the other hand, should facilitate the harmonization of the regulatory and safety initiatives in Pakistan with international good practice.
It is not the first collaboration the two groups have had. Earlier, PTA and Meta collaborated to launch “teen accounts” on Instagram in October 2025, which automatically categorizes users under 16 years age into a more limited account type to ensure their safety and filter exposure to inappropriate content, while allowing them to enjoy the platform.
It was followed by an earlier launch that brought together various stakeholders in the child protection sphere, including representatives from Meta, UNICEF, the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), as well as awareness-raising sessions and live demonstrations on child protection tools, complaint procedures, and digital well-being measures for young users.
Dr. Priyanka Bhalla, Head of Safety Policy for South Asia, assured at the time that the introduction of Teen Accounts was part of the company global initiatives to provide millions of teens with a safer and more positive online experience, including those in Pakistan.
A specific worry that has been cited as a catalyst for these programmes is that Pakistani young people, especially girls, have been reporting to the authorities about a new form of harassment over the internet, namely cyberbullying, stalking and different types of exploitation. The new LoI takes this foundation, and provides a more systematic, continuous framework for PTA/Meta strategic collaboration, one after another.
The number of internet usage and social media usage among Pakistani youth has also increased, PTA has seen their involvement with international platforms such as Meta as a proactive effort to promote child safety, digital literacy and responsible online behaviour throughout the country.
The real-world effects of these types of agreements are often seen over time, as new features, safety updates, and reporting mechanisms are introduced on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, both by the platforms and for their users. It remains to be seen whether this latest LoI will lead to additional substantive tools beyond Teen Accounts in the coming months as PTA and Meta work through this agreement framework into specific joint programs.
