ISLAMABAD: In response to Pakistan’s growing concerns over online content, millions of social media posts, pages, and URLs have been blocked at the country’s request.
Official data reveals that Pakistan requests an average of 829 posts be removed daily due to offensive or blasphemous content, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) requesting the removal of around 850,000 posts across various social media platforms over the past three years.
The data further shows that over 300,000 URLs with inappropriate content, 9,000 URLs deemed contemptuous toward the judiciary and judges, and over 100,000 URLs targeting the country’s defense institutions have been blocked. Additionally, more than 100,000 pages featuring anti-Islamic content, as well as those promoting sectarianism or hate speech, have been removed.
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On individual platforms, 53,000 posts have been blocked on YouTube, 150,000 posts on TikTok, 150,000 on Facebook, 50,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter), and 24,000 posts on Instagram. The PTA, acting on requests from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other concerned agencies, has coordinated with social media companies to ensure the removal of flagged content.