Several internet technologies and social media platforms are threatened to leave Pakistan when the govt. allowed mantle powers to authorities to expurgate digital content, a move aimed at restricting rights of expression in the traditionalist Islamic nation.
As per the warning from Asia Internet Coalition representing universal technology giants “Google, Twitter, and Facebook” on Thursday later to when Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan’s government allowed more powers to government’s media inspection bodies on Wednesday.
The Asia Internet Coalition said, “It was alarmed by the scope of Pakistan’s new law targeting internet companies, as well as the government’s non-transparent process by which these rules were developed”.
Under the new rules, internet service providers, and social media companies will face a fine of up to $3.14 million if they fail to share the content considered defamatory for Islam, fostering terrorism, hate speech, pornography, or any content viewed as jeopardizing national security.
According to Pakistan’s DAWN newspaper, “Social media companies have to provide Pakistan’s designated investigation agency with any information or data in deciphering, readable and lucid format”. Pakistan also wants social media companies to set up their branches in the country.
The AI Coalition states that the “oppressive data localization requirements will harm the ability of people to access a free and open internet and shut Pakistan’s digital economy off from the rest of the world.” It also said the new rules will lead to difficulties for its members “to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses.”
There was no instant comment from Imran Khan’s government, which has over and over again said it was not against freedom of expression.
Khan’s office had earlier said the new rules were formed after noticing a delayed response in the removal of anti-Pakistan, smutty, and zealot-related content by social media sites since 2018 when his government came into power.
