The Federal Government has formulated a law to keep a check on regulating social media. Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, 2020 are the additional new rules added to existing legislation like the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The fourteen-page long document is available here.
Social media companies including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok have been ordered to register within three months and establish their offices in Islamabad.
A local Pakistani focal person must also be appointed for each of these social media sites.
Omar Quraishi, a journalist tweeted that failure to abide by rules and regulations could entail fines of up to Rs 500 million.
Federal Govt okays plan to regulate social media – social media companies given 3 months to set up offices in Pakistan – failure to abide by rules and regulations could entail fines of up to Rs 500 million – social media firms will be given instructions to delete illegal content
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) February 13, 2020
YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media companies must block any prohibited content on receipt of complaints including videoes.
The National Coordination Authority (NCA) will be responsible for all the social media companies as communication will take place between the two bodies.
Anyone who will upload any illegal content against the country or the state institution within the region or abroad will be asked to remove the content by NCA and if orders are not followed then permanent blocking will take place.
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