According to PTA, all major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, have not responded positively to the Authority’s repeated requests.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has recommended that unregistered social media companies in Pakistan be prosecuted. According to a PTA document, the authority has approached the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) for guidance and advice on how to proceed with non-compliant social media platforms.
According to PTA, all major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, have not responded positively to the Authority’s repeated requests for registration under the Social Media Rules 2021.
In accordance with Pakistani laws, social media platforms do not consider themselves obligated to entertain requests for content blocking. Some social media platforms have been extremely slow to respond to the most sensitive blasphemous content.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has proposed that no public entity (federal or provincial) engage in any initiative involving unregistered social media platforms.
The PTA has also suggested that the federal government direct all relevant regulators, such as the FBR, State Bank, and SECP, to prohibit locally registered companies from doing business with non-registered and non-compliant social media companies.
PTA has recommended that, prior to any sort of engagement with social media platforms, the concerned entity first check the status of relevant platforms with PTA with respect to compliance with social media rules. The PTA will instruct its licensees to cease facilitation and advertising on non-compliant social media platforms.
The Authority has also proposed that if the companies continue to be non-compliant with regard to registration and removal of reported unlawful content, particularly blasphemous content, notices and fines be issued under the new Social Media Rules.
According to PTA recommendations, non-compliant platforms’ services should be degraded on a regular basis under Rule 5(7)(ii)(a). If a company continues to be noncompliant despite these notices and penalties, the entire online system should be blocked as a last resort, as per Rule 5(7)(ii)(b).