MoITT) has taken a strong stance against the dissemination of fake accounts and negative propaganda on social media platforms.

To carry out the ‘Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules, 2020’, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started the registration of social media companies.

Reportedly, Social media companies bearing users half a million or more will be required to register for each application/service that they offer, in order to verify the rules coming under ‘Removal of Unlawful Online Content’.

The company has more than half a million Pakistani users on board will have to register itself with PTA and establish a registered office within the nine months of rules being implemented.

The next step to be done after 3 months of registration, is to appoint a focal person for the coordination. Data server systems are also said to set up within 18 months.

In the post covered by ProPakistani following essentials should be provided by social media companies as prescribed in the form:

  • Name of the company
  • Type of service/application
  • Website
  • The number of its uses in Pakistan (at the time of registration)
  • The number of its users in Pakistan
  • The addresses in Pakistan (local office details to be provided as per the timelines stipulated in the rules)
  • The company’s authorization letter (to be attached with this form)
  • The details of the authorized focal person

If any Service Provider, a Social Media Company, an owner of an Information System, an owner of an internet website or a web server, and a User fail to abide by the rules, will later bear the outcomes of circumstances, which may end up blocking their websites/services or even companies as per the direction of PTA.

Proper mechanisms are asked to be designed by the companies in accordance with the rules mentioned for the verification of content that is boarding online.

All sorts of content that is against the security, prestige, and defense of the country are said to be restricted. No Company or internet service providers shall promote such content.

The renowned social media techgiants like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Google have so far not reacted to the provided rules. The following platforms are not situated in Pakistan neither the platforms seem to do so.  In such a case, their services risk being blockaded in Pakistan.

Image Source: Econsultancy

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