MP Faiszer Musthapha has urged Parliament to fast-track a bill that would restrict social media access for children under 16.
Speaking during an adjournment motion on September 8, Musthapha said his Private Member’s Bill is now in the legal drafting stage. He said he discussed the proposal with the Justice Minister and called on Parliament to act together.
What would the proposed law do?
The proposed Social Media Minimum Age Bill would set 16 as the minimum age for using selected social media platforms.
Musthapha said the proposal would cover Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter. It would not cover messaging services such as WhatsApp.
Musthapha submitted the Bill to Parliament in June. The proposal would require social media platforms and internet service providers to stop children under 16 from using the covered services.
It would also give an authorised commissioner under the National Child Protection Authority a role in enforcing the rules.
Musthapha said the proposal is not against technology. He said it aims to protect children from harm online.
Concerns over children’s online safety
Musthapha cited several figures to explain why he wants the law passed.
- He said Sri Lanka ranked 20th in the world for web-based cyber threats in 2025. More than 9.1 million threats were detected during the year, according to figures he cited.
- Kaspersky recorded 9,153,362 internet-borne threats in Sri Lanka during 2025.
- Musthapha also cited research showing that 52.8% of young people used the internet. The same research put the average age of first internet use at 13.
- A UNICEF study found that 46.3% of child internet users had communicated with strangers online. It also found that 27.9% of those children had met an online stranger in person. The study came out in 2018.
Musthapha also raised concerns about cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation and harmful content. He said children also face risks when personal images are shared online.
He said many parents struggle to control their children’s device use. A legal age limit, he argued, could give parents another way to protect their children.
Musthapha urges Parliament to act
Musthapha pointed to Australia and the UK as examples of countries taking steps to limit children’s access to social media.
Australia’s under-16 social media rules took effect in December 2025. The UK has also announced plans to restrict social media access for under-16s from spring 2027.
Musthapha called for effective age checks and greater responsibility from social media companies.
He warned that delays could leave more children exposed to online abuse and sexual harassment.
The proposed law remains under consideration. It is not yet a ban in force.
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Last modified: September 9, 2026
