Google has committed $500,000 to a new digital safety programme in Pakistan, as debate grows over how to protect children from online risks and whether access to social media should be restricted.
The Digital Pasban initiative, launched on Thursday, 20 August, aims to reach 200,000 households with Urdu-languagedigital safety tools, instructional videos, parental workshops and AI safety resources.
The initiative focuses on practical online safety, including digital citizenship, parental awareness and tools to help families manage children’s online activities.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is also working with Google to encourage safer and more responsible digital use among children, parents, teachers and caregivers. The efforts include awareness materials in local languages and training through educational institutions.
The authority’s chairman said the regulator now receives around 500 complaints a day involving inappropriate or harmful online content, up from about 100 previously. He also said Google had addressed 88 per cent of complaints lodged by the regulator, according to figures provided by the authority.
Google says its earlier Digital Safar programme has trained more than 300,000 students and 5,000 educators in digital citizenship.
The initiative comes as Pakistan debates whether tighter social media restrictions should apply to children.
On 15 July, a resolution submitted to the Punjab Assembly called for federal legislation to restrict social media accounts for children under 16, with measures including age verification and parental consent. The proposal is neither a nationwide law nor an existing Punjab government ban.
The resolution reflects concerns over children’s exposure to harmful content and online risks.
The debate highlights two different approaches to protecting children online: restricting access or giving families stronger tools to manage it.
The issue extends well beyond Pakistan.
Australia introduced restrictions on social media accounts for under-16s in December 2025. Other governments are also considering age limits and tougher rules for online platforms as concerns grow over children’s exposure to harmful content and online risks.
Pakistan is therefore considering tighter restrictions while Google invests in digital literacy and family safety tools.
The safety initiative comes days after Google opened its first office in Pakistan, in Karachi, on 18 August, nearly four years after registering its presence in the country.
On Friday, 21 August, Pakistan and Google signed a separate memorandum of understanding on digital transformation. It includes a target of 150,000 Google Career Certificates in Pakistan in 2026, one year of free access to advanced AI tools for Pakistani students and cooperation on an AI Centre of Excellence in Islamabad.
Pakistan is grappling with two sides of the same digital challenge: expanding access to technology while protecting children from its risks. The country wants more people online, stronger digital skills and greater access to AI, while also considering tighter limits on how children use social media.
Google’s investment adds another option to the debate - whether safer digital habits and stronger parental tools can protect children without simply keeping them off social media platforms.
Türkiye said on Thursday it would continue helping Syria strengthen its military, despite rising tensions with Israel over Ankara’s role...
Google has committed $500,000 to a new digital safety programme in Pakistan, as debate grows over how to protect children from online risks and whe...
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russia...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of August, covering the latest developments.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
Türkiye said on Thursday it would continue helping Syria strengthen its military, despite rising tensions with Israel over Ankara’s role in the country.
Iran has condemned remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on escalating economic and trade sanctions, calling the measures “economic terrorism” and “crimes against humanity”.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are strengthening their strategic alliance as trade, investment and transport links grow, President Ilham Aliyev said ahead of his state visit to Uzbekistan.
Seven countries have condemned Israel’s decision to open construction tenders for more than 1,200 homes under its E1 settlement project in the West Bank, warning the move could further undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
The UK and Azerbaijan are working to finalise a strategic partnership framework covering political, economic and defence cooperation, the new British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Duncan Norman said on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment