Child Online Protection is a comprehensive initiative led by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority in collaboration with national and international partners to safeguard children’s rights and safety in Pakistan’s rapidly expanding digital space. The initiative aims to prevent and respond to online child exploitation, abuse and other risks that children face when accessing the internet. PTA’s work in this area includes blocking unlawful content, strengthening complaint mechanisms, developing awareness campaigns, and engaging with global technology platforms to protect children from harmful online material. Over 5,000 websites hosting child sexual abuse content have been blocked under this initiative, and PTA has introduced a dedicated “Child Abuse” category within its Complaint Management System to enable streamlined reporting by citizens.
In addition to technical measures, PTA partners with organizations such as UNICEF, the National Commission on the Rights of Child and private sector entities to build capacity among parents, educators and children for safe online use. Collaborative efforts have resulted in research, digital safety guidebooks, localized educational tools like the International Telecommunication Union’s “Online Safety with Sango” lessons translated into Urdu, and the launch of online safety features such as Instagram’s “Teen Accounts” to protect users under the age of 16. These multi-stakeholder activities aim to promote responsible internet use, raise digital awareness, and build resilience against risks such as cyberbullying, exploitation and unwanted contact
