Meta Brings Together Policymakers, Parents and Educators at Pakistan’s Digital Tahafuzz Summit

Meta hosted a day-long Digital Safety Summit in Islamabad today, dedicated to youth safety and online well-being. The summit was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), Ministry of Human Rights, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), and Zindagi Trust.

Throughout the day, policymakers, educators, parents, civil society representatives, and digital creators gathered to discuss frameworks for providing young people space to thrive online while ensuring their protection.
The central focus of the deliberations was empowering youth to leverage the benefits of the internet without compromising their safety. Speakers discussed framework models designed to embed privacy, age-appropriate design, and safety-by-default mechanisms directly into online platforms.

Discussions also explored privacy-preserving, practical age-assurance frameworks suitable for Pakistan. It was highlighted that safety measures are most effective when young people understand them and feel comfortable approaching a trusted adult for help.

During the panel discussion, Chairperson NCRC Ms. Ayesha Raza stated: "Our objective must be to make the digital world safe for children. Outright bans often push youth towards less regulated, higher-risk environments unprepared. The most effective approach is bringing the entire ecosystem together. Platforms must remain accountable by embedding safety into their design—such as private-by-default settings, restrictions on addictive features, and swift removal of inappropriate content. The state must guarantee child-friendly grievance redressal mechanisms and enhance awareness, while parents and educators are empowered to guide children with confidence."

Member SMPRA Mr. Salman Zafar emphasized: "Keeping children safe online should never be the child’s sole responsibility.

Ensuring child online safety requires secure platforms, respect for privacy, accountable reporting systems, and close collaboration among regulators, technology platforms, and parents."

President Zindagi Trust Mr. Shehzad Roy remarked: "Our children are growing up in an increasingly digital world. It is our collective duty to equip them with the skills needed to navigate this environment safely. The partnership between Meta, Zindagi Trust, and Durbeen is a step in the right direction to empower parents and guardians with the tools necessary to monitor their children's social media experience and take appropriate proactive measures."
The summit also highlighted the necessity of industry-backed national initiatives for digital safety education, as well as Pakistan's potential to lead the region in evidence-based youth protection policies.
"Digital Dialogues in Real Life" Introduced in Pakistan

At the event, Meta launched "Digital Dialogues in Real Life", a free, browser-based interactive experience designed to facilitate meaningful conversations on everyday digital scenarios among youth, parents, teachers, and community groups.
Developed following extensive research and testing with youth and educators, the tool aims to familiarize parents and teenagers with built-in Teen Account safety features. Teen Accounts come with built-in protections enabled by default—limiting who can contact teenagers, controlling the content they see, and managing screen time seamlessly. Content settings introduced this year align with 13+ film ratings and parental input, requiring parental permission for teens under 16 to adjust default settings.

Participants engage with five illustrated discussion cards: Social Spaces, Feed Control, Beyond Likes, Kindness Online, and Know Your Limits. Each card presents a relatable online scenario, prompting discussion and pointing to practical tools and settings. Customized pathways are tailored for teens (aged 13–17) and adults.

Director Public Policy (South & Central Asia) at Meta, Ms. Yuen-Ting Chai, stated: "Keeping young people safe online is a shared responsibility among parents, educators, governments, and civil society. To give parents peace of mind, we designed Teen Accounts across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger with default protections. Alongside these technical guardrails, open dialogue between youth and adults is equally crucial. That is why we created 'Digital Dialogues in Real Life'—to help families discuss digital life more openly."

Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja,  stated: "Pakistan cannot truly build a digital future unless that future is safe for its children. Child online safety cannot be left solely to parents navigating complex settings on their own. Safety must be embedded directly into technology, fortified by digital literacy, and sustained through collective responsibility. Today’s summit demonstrates what this looks like in practice when government, industry, educators, and families sit at the same table. Our mandate is clear: a digital Pakistan where no child faces the risks of the online world alone.

Protecting children from online harms is our collective responsibility. Digital platforms and global tech giants like Meta must play a more proactive role and take concrete steps to ensure safety messages effectively reach both children and parents. Awareness regarding child online safety must expand beyond major cities to reach every corner of the country, including rural and remote areas. This dialogue needs to be integrated into every classroom, involving every teacher and parent, ensuring that digital safety awareness is not confined to social media alone.

Equipping parents, teachers, and children with awareness about digital threats and creating a secure digital environment for our youth is an urgent need of the hour. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is actively conducting awareness campaigns in this regard. Guidance from parents and educators is vital to shield children from potential internet hazards, and it is essential that youth understand online risks and know how to seek help. We must foster an encouraging environment where children can speak openly about online issues without hesitation, supported by robust measures, awareness, and open dialogue. Digital safety initiatives will only yield real impact when the public is fully aware of them and knows how to use them effectively—a goal that requires government, technology companies, and society to work hand in hand."

Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, HI(M), SI(M),
stated: "Child online safety is a shared responsibility. Alongside effective technical safeguards, we must empower children with digital safety knowledge and equip parents to guide them effectively. Through our partnership in 'Digital Dialogues in Real Life', PTA remains steadfast in promoting digital awareness and building a safer online ecosystem for the children of Pakistan."
The Digital Safety Summit marks a continuation of Meta’s ongoing commitment to youth safety in Pakistan, partnering with local stakeholders to establish industry-wide safety standards.