Committee formed to start consultation on proposed social media rules
The committee will undertake extensive and broad-based consultation process
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – In pursuance of the Prime Minister s directions, a committee has been formed to start consultation process on Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules 2020.
The committee comprised Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (Convener) Amir Azeem Bajwa, Additional Secretary Ministry of IT & Telecom Eazaz Aslam Dar, Member of Strategic Reforms Implementation Unit, Prime Minister Office, Islamabad Tania Aidrus, and Person to the Prime Minister on Digital Media, Prime Minister s Office, Islamabad Dr Arslan Khalid, Focal.
The committee will undertake extensive and broad-based consultation process with all relevant segments of civil society and technology companies about the rules. The process will be completed within two months.
Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari and Barrister Ali Zafar would also be involved in consultations process.
On the other hand, Facebook, Google, and Twitter have mutinied over the strict censorship rules due to be implemented by Pakistan and are threatening to leave the country altogether.
The tech giants anger is directed at Pakistan s Citizens Protection Rules (Against Online Harm), a recently-revealed set of tight censorship demands.
The rules, laid out by the Pakistan government, would give local authorities the power to demand social media platforms remove any content they deem questionable within 24 hours. Pakistan has proposed the creation of a "National Coordinator" office to monitor these services.
In addition, social media platforms must provide a way to prevent the live streaming of "online content related to terrorism, extremism, hate speech, defamation, fake news, incitement to violence and national security."
Within three months of the new rules coming into play, companies such as Facebook and Twitter must also open up permanent offices in the country, establish one or more local servers to store data in Pakistan, and must also agree to "remove, suspend or disable access to such account, online content of citizens of Pakistan residing outside its territorial boundaries and posts on online content that are involved in spreading of fake news or defamation and violates or affects the religious, cultural, ethnic, or national security sensitivities of Pakistan."
The proposed rules also give the government the right to block a social network if they refuse to comply or impose fines of up to five hundred million rupees (approximately $6.9m).
Critics argue that such wide-reaching powers are designed to curb free speech and impose censorship, and it seems that Facebook, Twitter, and Google agree.
The organizations are part of the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), a trade association discussing issues of internet innovation and regulation in the region. In response to Pakistan s rules, the organization said, "the rules as currently written would make it extremely difficult for AIC Members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses."
In other words, upwards of 70 million residents could find themselves not only unable to access Facebook and Twitter, but also make use of Google s range of services, widely used by businesses across the world.
"AIC members recognize Pakistan s strong potential, but the sudden announcement of these rules belies the government of Pakistan s claims that it is open for business and investment," the complaint reads. "As no other country has announced such a sweeping set of rules, Pakistan risks becoming a global outlier, needlessly isolating and depriving Pakistani users and businesses of the growth potential of the Internet economy."
