FEDERAL Cabinet reportedly has approved new social media rules making the regulations of all global social media platforms in Pakistan mandatory within three months. Under these regulations, all companies including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, are required to get registered and establish an office in Islamabad.
These social media networks have emerged as powerful tools in our social, economic and political life. It has established connections, as it has allowed friends and family members to keep in touch. But there are millions of people who are also abusing it in so many manners on a daily basis. This is the reason that the social media has been described as a two edged sword but the regrettable part is that nothing concrete has been done to prevent these tools from inflicting harm. Indeed, we are all for the freedom of expression but it should not be absolute but should be within certain limits. It should not hurt the privacy, honour and reputations of others. The way the social media has been used to upload blasphemous material in the recent past has really hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims across the world and this trend in fact also poses a great threat to peace and harmony in our societies. In this context, we understand that the government has taken a step in the right direction to bring the social media under some regulations. In fact this step should have been taken much earlier as the closer interaction and engagement with the management of these social media networks will help discourage negative trends. Then those resorting to foul language against our national institutions or involved in uploading of prohibited material or harassment should be taken to task and given punishment as per the law. This will also go a long way in fighting the issue of fake news which can have disastrous consequences for any society. One had seen its effects in the Arab Spring. Time has also come that managements of social media networks also fulfil their responsibilities and work in an unbiased manner. Whilst the blockage of about one million tweets from accounts that focused on Kashmir by twitter was not understandable, it is also not comprehensible as to why these platforms remain silent or turn their back on issues sensitive to Muslims.
