Facebook and TikTok faced the highest levels of blocking for hosting illegal and offensive content
LAHORE:
Pakistan has blocked more than a million web links and URLs due to the spread of illegal and inappropriate digital content, especially material involving character assassination of judges of the Supreme Judiciary on social media, according to a comprehensive report released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The report lays bare the extent of digital enforcement undertaken by the regulator across major social media platforms, showing extensive monitoring, review and blocking of content deemed illegal, offensive or harmful to public order, morals and government institutions.
According to the PTA, Facebook and TikTok faced the highest levels of blocking for hosting illegal and offensive content. TikTok recorded the strictest crackdown, with 94 percent of identified content blocked, the highest enforcement rate among all platforms reviewed.
The report states that 229,000 Facebook links were reviewed, of which 197,000 were blocked. On Instagram, 43,000 URLs were examined and 38,000 were blocked, resulting in a blocking rate of 87 percent.
On TikTok, the authority reviewed more than 174,000 links related to illegal content and blocked over 163,000 video links, marking the most aggressive enforcement action across platforms.
The report further notes that YouTube reviewed 72,000 links, with more than 64,000 links blocked. On X (formerly Twitter), over 112,000 links were checked, but only 70,800 were blocked, making it the platform with the lowest blocking rate at 62 percent.
In addition, 898,000 links were reviewed on other digital platforms, of which 891,000 were blocked, reflecting near-total enforcement.
Overall, the PTA revealed that more than 1.4 million links and URLs were blocked for content related to contempt of court, obscenity, religious offences, proxy use and hate speech. Obscenity and morality-related material topped the list with over 1.06 million blocked links.
Content against the state and national defense accounted for 148,000 blocked links, while over 109,000 links were restricted for anti-religious content.
In addition, 76,000 links containing sectarian and hateful material were blocked, while defamation and false identity-related content had the lowest blocking rate.
The PTA said the crackdown was aimed at curbing cybercrime, protecting judicial institutions and preventing the spread of illegal and harmful digital material across social media platforms.
