The killing of 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar Apratim in Comilla, who was allegedly lured from his home on the pretext of making a TikTok video, has renewed concerns over the safety of children and teenagers using social media.
Police are investigating several aspects of the case, including Apratim’s contact with older youths, an iPhone, a Tk5,000 debt and the claim that he was called out to make a TikTok video. However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive.
Concerns over the risks of social media use among minors are not new. In July, a 20-year-old man was arrested in Feni for allegedly recording and sharing on TikTok an incident involving the harassment of a six-year-old child. In September, a teenage girl was allegedly raped in Comilla after travelling there to meet a young man she had met through Facebook and TikTok.
These incidents cannot simply be attributed to social media. However, they illustrate how children’s and teenagers’ online interactions can have consequences for their safety in the real world.
Age restrictions
Several countries have introduced or are considering age restrictions on social media. Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia have adopted different measures for users under 16, while the UK and others are considering similar steps.
In Australia, restrictions on people under 16 opening or maintaining accounts on specified platforms took effect on December 10, 2025. Platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube are required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from holding accounts. Children and their parents are not subject to penalties, with primary responsibility placed on the platforms.
Indonesia introduced similar restrictions in March 2026, while Malaysia introduced age-verification requirements on June 1, 2026.
What about Bangladesh?
Bangladesh does not currently have a specific minimum age of 16 for opening social media accounts. However, the 2026 Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Act includes provisions for technical parental controls and, where necessary, age-based verification to protect children and minors using the internet and digital devices and to prevent harassment. Detailed procedures are to be set out in regulations.
Professor Dr M Rezaul Islam of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research at the University of Dhaka said an age limit alone could not eliminate online risks.
“However, restricting children from having personal social media accounts below a certain age may protect them from some online risks. At the same time, social media platforms must be held accountable, while parents should also be given the skills and knowledge needed to ensure digital safety and awareness,” he said.
Growing concerns among young users
A 2025 UNICEF Bangladesh U-Report survey, which received responses from around 29,000 children and young people, found that two-thirds identified excessive fake news and misinformation on social media as the biggest source of mental stress. About one in seven cited bullying and negative comments, while a similar proportion identified harmful or upsetting content as a major concern.
The survey also found that 52% of respondents considered rules against harmful behaviour such as bullying and hate speech important, while 79% believed that relaxing such rules could put vulnerable groups at greater risk.
Bangladesh’s expanding internet access means children are increasingly growing up in connected households. The 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF found that 72.1% of households have internet access at home.
The BBS ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals Survey 2024–25 found that 53.4% of people in Bangladesh use the internet, including 75.7% in urban areas and 43.6% in rural areas. However, the survey does not specifically measure internet use among children.
A 2025 study published in BMJ Open, involving 456 students aged 13–18 at four schools in urban and rural Bangladesh, found that about 88% used the internet. Mobile phones were the primary means of access for 84% of respondents. The study was not nationally representative.
Globally, internet use among young people is also widespread. According to 2025 data from the International Telecommunication Union, 82% of people aged 15–24 use the internet, compared with 72% among those outside that age group.
Risks of problematic social media use
The World Health Organization’s Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, which analysed data from around 280,000 adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 across 44 countries and regions, found that problematic social media use rose from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. The rate was 13% among girls and 9% among boys.
Psychiatrist Dr Bulbul Ahmed Khan said adolescents may not always be able to assess the long-term consequences of communicating with strangers online, taking part in risky challenges or being exposed to harmful content in the same way as adults because parts of the brain involved in risk assessment, emotional control and decision-making are still developing.
“Therefore, children need age-appropriate protection and guidance from adults in their online experiences up to a certain age. However, simply imposing restrictions or setting an age limit will not solve the problem. Open communication within the family, digital literacy, the ability to identify online risks and mental health support when necessary all need to be ensured together,” he said.
Belayet Hossain, a resident of Azimpur, said his Class 8 child uses a phone for studies and communication, but he worries about what the child does online and who they communicate with.
“Simply taking the phone away will not solve the problem,” he said, adding that he tries to maintain open communication so his child feels comfortable telling the family if a stranger makes contact or a problem arises online.
“Social media platforms should also take children’s safety more seriously,” he added.
Age verification and privacy
Another key question is how an age limit would be implemented.
Professor Dr M Rezaul Islam said requiring children to submit national identity cards, birth registration documents or other personal information to every platform could create new privacy risks.
“Therefore, alongside an age limit, Bangladesh also needs to ensure data minimisation, privacy protection and independent oversight,” he said.
Privacy has also been a key consideration in Australia, where the eSafety Commissioner says age-verification methods must comply with privacy safeguards and users are not required to provide government-issued identification.
Emerging regulatory models also place responsibility on social media platforms, rather than solely on children and their parents. This raises questions over how much responsibility platforms should bear for verifying users’ ages, filtering harmful content, preventing online grooming and protecting children’s accounts.
Government moves to regulate harmful content
The government has also acknowledged concerns over harmful content on social media and the need for greater oversight.
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said in August that the government was working with social media companies and other stakeholders to regulate harmful content and protect young people from digital risks.
“The ICT Ministry is collaborating with social media companies and relevant stakeholders to establish proper oversight and safeguard our future generation,” he said.
Earlier in July, he told Parliament that the government was working to strengthen coordination with international technology platforms, including YouTube and TikTok, to remove harmful content. He said the government was considering amendments to the Cyber Security Act to improve the process.
China Akter, administrative officer of the Organisation-3 Branch at the Information and Communication Technology Division, said the government was working on measures to ensure a safe digital environment for children, including age-appropriate protection, parental controls and age verification.
“Setting a specific age limit alone cannot reduce online risks. Effective age-verification measures, control of harmful content and responsible practices by social media platforms are also needed,” she said.
“Children should also be made more aware of digital safety, while social media platforms should play a responsible role in creating a safer online environment for them,” she added.
Balancing protection and access
Imtiaz Bin Hafiz, an executive member of Ain o Salish Kendra, said simply telling children not to use certain apps would not protect them from online risks.
“Digital platforms also benefit commercially from children’s participation and engagement. Therefore, responsibility for children’s safety should not rest solely on children and their families. Platforms must also take responsibility and ensure safety measures and child safety by design,” he said.
At the same time, social media can provide children and teenagers with opportunities for education, communication, access to information, creativity and social participation. UNICEF has also noted that digital technology can help children learn, play and communicate, while stressing the need for skills to navigate the digital world safely.
The investigation into Apratim’s killing has once again highlighted how social media can be used to contact and influence children and teenagers. However, the circumstances and motive behind his killing remain under investigation.
