Pakistani government is moving for more stern measures to manage social media with National Firewall, a move that garnered mixed reactions.
This new measure to block undesirable content from reaching a broader audience, according to information from four different sources. The government is installing a national firewall across various internet service providers to exert greater control over social media, aiming to block undesirable content from reaching a broader audience.
It was reported that firewall is currently being installed and commissioned. Earlier, the government used similar technologies to block websites and social media apps. The new firewall will inspect information from various internet protocol addresses.
Pakistan National Firewall
With basic purpose of identifying sources of propaganda material and to block or limit the visibility of those sources, the government is taking social media control to new level. Sources within the government claimed that the main focus will likely be on locating the source of such propaganda to stop it at its origin.
The keyword filtering system will detect content deemed undesirable or a threat to national security, likely hiding such content from outside users.
In Pakistan, one of leading social media app X, former Twitter, is already limited, with rights activists group calling for unblocking.
As much about the firewall remains unknown, it has been learnt that filtering system will apply to Facebook, YouTube, and X, Instagram.
