RIYADH — The Saudi Shoura Council called on the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) to develop age verification rules and usage restrictions for social media platforms for users under the age of 16.The call came in a decision issued by the council after reviewing the views of the Transport, Communications and Information Technology Committee on members' comments regarding CST's annual report for the 2025 fiscal year.The council also urged CST to study ways to benefit from unused capacity in fiber-optic networks owned by government entities to help improve the quality of telecommunications and internet services.It further called on the commission to develop regulatory frameworks and investment enablers for commercial space services in a way that strengthens the competitiveness of the space sector and increases private sector participation.The council discussed the annual report of Mahd Sports Academy for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, in the presence of the academy's Executive Affairs CEO Asaad Hijazi.Shoura Council member Dr. Saleh Al-Shamrani called on Mahd Academy to coordinate with the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to follow up on talented Saudi graduates and continue their scholarship programs, ensuring their development and preparing them to represent the Saudi national team in the future.Council member Dr. Osama Aref stressed the importance of strengthening efforts to identify sporting talent, particularly in football, while also focusing on academic and educational development for gifted athletes across various sports.The council reviewed a number of items on its agenda and took the necessary decisions as part of its role in monitoring the performance of government bodies and assessing their programs and plans to develop national sectors.
