Pakistan telecom authority has threatened to ban Twitter. Here's why
What's the story
Twitter has been warned by Pakistan's telecom authority that the micro-blogging site could be banned in the country for not complying with its directive to block objectionable content.
The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) yesterday informed the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat that while Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms complied with the government's requests to block objectionable content, Twitter did not oblige.
Details
Derogatory comments about Pakistan had been spreading through social media
Out of a hundred requests from Pakistan to block certain offensive material, roughly 5% are entertained. Twitter ignores all the remaining requests, Director General of PTA's Internet Policy and Web Analysis, Nisar Ahmed, told the Committee.
The Committee had met for a briefing on penalties fixed by the PTA against derogatory comments related to Pakistan spreading through social media, the Dawn reported.
Free media
PTI against any censorship on free media: PTI information secretary
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's information secretary, Fawad Chaudhry, has said that his party was against any kind of censorship on free media.
"Those who don't wish to see objectionable content shouldn't search for it. Social media is not just for recreation and entertainment. There are jobs and households associated with the business," Chaudhry, who is tipped to become Information Minister in the new government, said.
Information
Pakistan, social media platforms do not get along very well
There have been several instances in the past also when social media were banned in Pakistan. Facebook was banned in the country twice in 2008 and then again in 2010. In Sep'12, the PTA blocked access to YouTube throughout the country for over two years.