Uzbekistan weighs restricting social media access for children under 16

Uzbekistan is considering introducing age restrictions on social media use for children and teenagers under 16, Gazeta.uz reported.

The country’s Minister of Preschool and School Education Ezozkhon Karimova said that the proposal has already been discussed with members of parliament and senators. The authorities now plan to draft a bill and submit it for public consultation.

«We have discussed it with members of parliament and senators. We want to draft a bill and submit it for public consultation. I think we should adopt a similar measure here as well,» the minister said.

At the same time, the proposal does not call for banning smartphones altogether. Karimova said that mobile devices have become part of children’s everyday lives, so the aim is not to ban phones but to regulate their use.

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According to the minister, schools already require students to leave their mobile phones behind before entering the building. However, the rule is not enforced everywhere.

«This is the age of technology. We cannot take phones away from our children. Of course, they need them. But there should be a culture of responsible use and a sense of moderation,» Karimova said.

According to her, the authorities now intend to tighten control over the issue and introduce legal restrictions on social media use by children under 16.