Despite claiming open for business and investment, Pakistan’s recently modified internet rules would cripple its digital economy, as per experts. Pakistan new rules include social platforms to remove any objectionable content, that’s reported by the government within 24 hours. Further, it has the power to fine such platforms upto $6.9 million. This resulted in the AIC, group of all those platforms to repel against those laws.
Law to suppress basic rights?
Pakistan has drafted its Citizens Protection Rules regarding the internet censorship laws, which contained several particulars that may restrict the citizen’s freedom online. This required the social platforms like Facebook, Google, Twitter etc to remove any objectionable content from their platforms upon government’s demand within 24 hours. Further, they all should implement tools that prevent users from performing live streaming regarding terrorism, hate speech, fake news, extremism and inciting content.
While these may seem reasonable, social giants think it’s more like censoring the basic rights of speech of citizens. Thus, they’ll be grouped up and sent a repelling notice to Pakistan government regarding the new rules and may withdraw all their services if not revoked properly. While this being speculation, the AIC (Asia Internet Coalition) report says strong responses for Pakistan’s new internet laws.
Rules as being fined upto $6.9 million for serving users their basic rights isn’t appreciated. Thus, the revolting reaction is expected. In the letter of AIC, these companies wrote as,
“the rules as currently written would make it extremely difficult for AIC Members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses.”
This may result in those companies to stop serving Pakistan soon if the nation decided not to amend its recent censorship laws.
