Uzbekistan considers restricting social media access for children under 16

Uzbekistan is considering introducing a legal restriction on access to social media for children under the age of 16, Minister of Preschool and School Education Ezozkhon Karimova said.

Report informs, citing Uzbek media, that she said the issue has already been discussed with members of parliament and senators, and work is underway on a potential bill that will later be submitted for public discussion.

Karimova noted that it is impossible to completely prevent children from using smartphones, but their use should be regulated and a responsible digital culture should be developed.

She also reminded that schools already have rules requiring students to leave mobile phones before entering school buildings, although these rules are not always followed.

"Now we want to bring this under stricter control and legally restrict social media use for children under 16," Karimova said.