Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja has said that protecting children from online harms is a shared responsibility of the government, technology companies and society.
Addressing a summit, the minister said technology companies must take effective steps to ensure the protection of children on digital platforms. She said global technology companies such as Meta should play a more active role in awareness campaigns related to online safety.
Shaza Fatima said awareness regarding children’s online protection must move beyond major cities and reach every corner of the country, including rural and remote areas of Pakistan. She said the conversation on children’s online safety should reach every classroom, every teacher and every parent.
The federal minister said it was a collective responsibility to inform parents, teachers and children about online risks. She stressed that guidance for parents and teachers was essential to protect children from the potential harms of the internet.
She said children should have an environment where they can speak openly about online issues without hesitation. She added that children must understand online risks and know how to seek help when needed.
Shaza Fatima said technology companies would have to take active measures to deliver online safety messages to children and parents. She noted that digital protection measures would be effective only when the public was aware of them and knew how to use them.
The minister said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority was running awareness campaigns on children’s online protection. She said awareness about online safety should not remain limited to social media.
She emphasised that awareness, effective measures and open dialogue must be promoted for the online protection of children. She said creating a safe digital environment for youth, parents and teachers was the need of the hour.
