ISLAMABAD: The government has given a final warning to major social media platforms, asking them to fully comply with Pakistani laws, otherwise a Brazilian-style ban will be imposed.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Law and Justice Aqeel Malik said that if the platforms violate the laws, action will be taken according to the Brazilian example.
According to officials, Twitter was temporarily banned in Brazil in 2024 because it did not remove accounts spreading false information related to elections. Later, X paid a fine and got the ban lifted after appointing a local representative. Pakistan is looking at this case for its guidance.
The government directed Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, Telegram and X to set up offices in Pakistan, use AI tools to identify and delete accounts related to terrorism, provide IP addresses and implement a filtering system to prevent banned users from re-registering.
Several accounts have been found to be affiliated with US and UN-proscribed organisations and their activities pose a threat to regional security.
Authorities have described X as particularly uncooperative, while TikTok and Telegram have been relatively compliant. The platforms were given a detailed briefing on July 24, but the response received was found to be inadequate.
