MP Faiszer Musthapha has urged Parliament to expedite legislation banning social media use for children under 16, warning of severe risks to youth mental health, safety, and education.
Speaking during an adjournment motion yesterday (08), Musthapha said he has already submitted a private member’s bill on the minimum age limit, which is now in the legal drafting stage following discussions with the Justice Minister. He appealed for collective action, stressing that the measure is not “anti‑technology” but a necessary safeguard against online harms.
Drawing parallels with international precedents, Musthapha cited the UK’s Children’s Well‑being and Schools Bill and Online Safety Act, as well as Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act, noting that Sri Lanka’s proposal would restrict access to platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter, while exempting communication services like WhatsApp.
Musthapha underscored the urgency of action by presenting disturbing data. He revealed that Sri Lanka ranks 20th worldwide for cyberspace threats, detecting 9.1 million threats in a single year. He said 52.8 percent of youth access the internet, with first use averaging 13 years old. Alarmingly, 46.3 percent of children have communicated with strangers online, with 27.9 percent later meeting them in person. He noted that 28 percent of young internet users have experienced online violence, while 27 percent faced cyberbullying and extortion. One in five children reported indecent images of themselves being shared online, and 92 percent of victimized children never report incidents. The availability rate of child sexual abuse material was cited at 27.8 per 1,000.
Musthapha warned that unrestricted access has led to sexual abuse, drug solicitation, rape by strangers met online, and youth suicides linked to internet addiction.
He said parents are increasingly desperate, unable to control device habits, and would welcome a legal ban as an external boundary. He lamented the erosion of childhood, noting that “today the child’s best friend has become the phone,” with psychologists warning of isolation, social decline, and mental health crises.
Concluding his address, Musthapha urged Parliament to act collectively and swiftly to establish age verification mechanisms and hold platforms accountable.
“Every day this bill is getting delayed, a child is abused… a child’s photograph is on social media… and a child is subject to various forms of sexual harassment,” he warned, stressing that immediate legislative action is vital to protect Sri Lanka’s children. (Newswire)