Gilgit-Baltistan bans TikTok for police personnel

GILGIT BALTISTAN: The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Police has banned its staff from accessing the social media application TikTok “to preserve discipline, uniformity, and the force’s dignity”.

“To preserve discipline, uniformity, and dignity of the force, it is hereby directed that no GB police officer/official shall use social media platform (TikTok),” an official circular issued by the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) states.

The directive instructed all district police officers and unit commanders to transmit the order to their men.

It threatened that ignoring these instructions would be “viewed seriously” and could lead to disciplinary action.

The move is in line with a widening trend across the nation where provincial police forces have banned social media use by officers.

In July this year, the Islamabad Capital Police released a detailed social media policy for all federal police officers and staff, setting severe limitations on their use of the internet.

Officers and officials are not allowed to post statements or opinions on social media without seeking the department’s advance permission, as per the notification released by the Islamabad IGP.

The notice also prohibited using official uniforms in videos or pictures for individual promotion purposes.

Last year in September, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police had imposed a similar ban, prohibiting cops all over the province from using social media sites.

A formal announcement made back then stated police officers could no longer use TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram. The prohibition even included the usage of WhatsApp by officers and staff.

Also in September 2024, on orders from the Punjab chief minister’s office, social media applications like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram were prohibited for on-duty policemen.

Punjab Police officials threatened stern departmental action against staff posting videos while in uniform.