Reports
Censorship in Pakistan
- Pakistan Team
- 8 July 2024
The 21st century has seen a change in the way information is created, transmitted and consumed. Traditional media, namely newspapers, radio and television have been replaced by the internet and digital platforms. Although these are complementary, there are higher participation rates in social media than in conventional platforms (Arif, 2022). The intersection of this change can be the Arab Spring, which served as a lever to facilitate the communication of the protesters and the smooth organisation of the demonstrations. This practice raised public awareness and triggered public discourse (Batool, 2020).
This transformation is significant in Pakistan, where the media landscape has evolved rapidly in response to technological developments and socio-political dynamics, offering a new landscape for expressing citizen discontent. According to JICA research, 36.5%, or 82.90 million people of the population use the internet and 71.70 million are active on social media. Of these, most of the population (71.7) use YouTube, with 43.55 using Facebook. Impressive is the participation on Twitter (X) where in times of important political events, active participation increases. For example, its share rose from 1.5% to 20.56% in March 2022 (Arif, 2022). The World Population Foundation (WPF) report shows that the majority of internet users (around 50%) are young, aged 18-24, with a higher proportion of men (69%) than women (31%) (Zulqarnain, & Taimur, 2017).
Social media has played a crucial role in the democratisation process in Pakistan, enabling citizens to learn about socio-political issues, express their opinions, engage in political dialogue and promote human rights. Their action is perceived in 5 ways: they amplify – and often break – stories that traditional media are unable or unwilling to cover, 2) serve as a communications platform by spreading information about protest campaigns and other social movements, thereby playing a mobilising role, 3) humanitarian dimension, 4) advocating for social causes 5) stimulate political communication (Kulgeman, 2012).
Already from 2007 to 2009, the Lawyers’ Movement, also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary or the Black Coat Protests, developed, whose purpose was to oppose the decisions of the former president, Pervez Musharraf, to suspend the power of the Supreme Court judge, an act that violated the Constitution of Pakistan. Thanks to social media, the Movement gained a great deal of momentum, as it helped to organise the protesters and gain support (Dawn, 2007). Similarly, the social media acted as a lever for exerting pressure on the state authorities. In particular, countries received campaigns such as #JusticeForZainab that aimed to raise awareness to demand justice for the rape and murder of a little girl. Finally, many initiatives, such as the Pakistan Software Houses Association, have been developed to educate and raise awareness among citizens, especially women, regarding the dangers of the internet and digital rights (Kulgeman, 2012).
Despite their positive contribution, social media in Pakistan has also been linked to several human rights violations. Government regulations and measures such as the Prevention of Cybercrime Act (PECA) of 2016 have been identified as a roadblock to civil liberties. Particularly during the 2024 national elections, there were serious concerns about freedom of expression and privacy; several social media accounts of political activists and opposition supporters were suspended or blocked, leading to complaints of censorship. At the same time, incidents of state surveillance and violations of users’ privacy and confidentiality have increased (Abbas, 2024). Finally, the absence of strong cybersecurity measures, combined with the rise of technology (e.g. AI) has made social media vulnerable to attacks or the transmission of fake news. For example, during the 2024 elections, several cases of fake news and manipulated content aimed at influencing public opinion were reported (Kalbe, 2024).
The report examines the presence of social media in Pakistan and its intertwining with censorship. It provides a historical contextual background in which it studies the presence of the internet and social media and their evolution in the fragile sociopolitical landscape. It then proceeds with an examination of government policies and regulations, detailing the legal framework, key laws and recent legislative changes affecting social media. Finally, it explores the social impact of these regulations, focusing on freedom of speech and the daily lives of citizens, and journalists, highlighting how censorship affects communication and information sharing.
This transformation is significant in Pakistan, where the media landscape has evolved rapidly in response to technological developments and socio-political dynamics, offering a new landscape for expressing citizen discontent. According to JICA research, 36.5%, or 82.90 million people of the population use the internet and 71.70 million are active on social media. Of these, most of the population (71.7) use YouTube, with 43.55 using Facebook. Impressive is the participation on Twitter (X) where in times of important political events, active participation increases. For example, its share rose from 1.5% to 20.56% in March 2022 (Arif, 2022). The World Population Foundation (WPF) report shows that the majority of internet users (around 50%) are young, aged 18-24, with a higher proportion of men (69%) than women (31%) (Zulqarnain, & Taimur, 2017).
Social media has played a crucial role in the democratisation process in Pakistan, enabling citizens to learn about socio-political issues, express their opinions, engage in political dialogue and promote human rights. Their action is perceived in 5 ways: they amplify – and often break – stories that traditional media are unable or unwilling to cover, 2) serve as a communications platform by spreading information about protest campaigns and other social movements, thereby playing a mobilising role, 3) humanitarian dimension, 4) advocating for social causes 5) stimulate political communication (Kulgeman, 2012).
Already from 2007 to 2009, the Lawyers’ Movement, also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary or the Black Coat Protests, developed, whose purpose was to oppose the decisions of the former president, Pervez Musharraf, to suspend the power of the Supreme Court judge, an act that violated the Constitution of Pakistan. Thanks to social media, the Movement gained a great deal of momentum, as it helped to organise the protesters and gain support (Dawn, 2007). Similarly, the social media acted as a lever for exerting pressure on the state authorities. In particular, countries received campaigns such as #JusticeForZainab that aimed to raise awareness to demand justice for the rape and murder of a little girl. Finally, many initiatives, such as the Pakistan Software Houses Association, have been developed to educate and raise awareness among citizens, especially women, regarding the dangers of the internet and digital rights (Kulgeman, 2012).
Despite their positive contribution, social media in Pakistan has also been linked to several human rights violations. Government regulations and measures such as the Prevention of Cybercrime Act (PECA) of 2016 have been identified as a roadblock to civil liberties. Particularly during the 2024 national elections, there were serious concerns about freedom of expression and privacy; several social media accounts of political activists and opposition supporters were suspended or blocked, leading to complaints of censorship. At the same time, incidents of state surveillance and violations of users’ privacy and confidentiality have increased (Abbas, 2024). Finally, the absence of strong cybersecurity measures, combined with the rise of technology (e.g. AI) has made social media vulnerable to attacks or the transmission of fake news. For example, during the 2024 elections, several cases of fake news and manipulated content aimed at influencing public opinion were reported (Kalbe, 2024).
The report examines the presence of social media in Pakistan and its intertwining with censorship. It provides a historical contextual background in which it studies the presence of the internet and social media and their evolution in the fragile sociopolitical landscape. It then proceeds with an examination of government policies and regulations, detailing the legal framework, key laws and recent legislative changes affecting social media. Finally, it explores the social impact of these regulations, focusing on freedom of speech and the daily lives of citizens, and journalists, highlighting how censorship affects communication and information sharing.
✨ AI summary
The 21st century has seen a change in the way information is created, transmitted and consumed. Traditional media, namely newspapers, radio and television have been replaced by the internet and digital platforms. Although these are complementary, there are higher participation rates in social media than in conventional platforms (Arif, 2022). The intersection of this change can be the Arab Spring, which served as a lever to facilitate the communication of the protesters and the smooth organisation of the demonstrations. This practice raised public awareness and triggered public discourse (Batool, 2020).
This transformation is significant in Pakistan, where the media landscape has evolved rapidly in response to technological developments and socio-political dynamics, offering a new landscape for expressing citizen discontent. According to JICA research, 36.5%, or 82.90 million people of the population use the internet and 71.70 million are active on social media. Of these, most of the population (71.7) use YouTube, with 43.55 using Facebook. Impressive is the participation on Twitter (X) where in times of important political events, active participation increases. For example, its share rose from 1.5% to 20.56% in March 2022 (Arif, 2022). The World Population Foundation (WPF) report shows that the majority of internet users (around 50%) are young, aged 18-24, with a higher proportion of men (69%) than women (31%) (Zulqarnain, & Taimur, 2017).
Social media has played a crucial role in the democratisation process in Pakistan, enabling citizens to learn about socio-political issues, express their opinions, engage in political dialogue and promote human rights. Their action is perceived in 5 ways: they amplify – and often break – stories that traditional media are unable or unwilling to cover, 2) serve as a communications platform by spreading information about protest campaigns and other social movements, thereby playing a mobilising role, 3) humanitarian dimension, 4) advocating for social causes 5) stimulate political communication (Kulgeman, 2012).
Already from 2007 to 2009, the Lawyers’ Movement, also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary or the Black Coat Protests, developed, whose purpose was to oppose the decisions of the former president, Pervez Musharraf, to suspend the power of the Supreme Court judge, an act that violated the Constitution of Pakistan. Thanks to social media, the Movement gained a great deal of momentum, as it helped to organise the protesters and gain support (Dawn, 2007). Similarly, the social media acted as a lever for exerting pressure on the state authorities. In particular, countries received campaigns such as #JusticeForZainab that aimed to raise awareness to demand justice for the rape and murder of a little girl. Finally, many initiatives, such as the Pakistan Software Houses Association, have been developed to educate and raise awareness among citizens, especially women, regarding the dangers of the internet and digital rights (Kulgeman, 2012).
Despite their positive contribution, social media in Pakistan has also been linked to several human rights violations. Government regulations and measures such as the Prevention of Cybercrime Act (PECA) of 2016 have been identified as a roadblock to civil liberties. Particularly during the 2024 national elections, there were serious concerns about freedom of expression and privacy; several social media accounts of political activists and opposition supporters were suspended or blocked, leading to complaints of censorship. At the same time, incidents of state surveillance and violations of users’ privacy and confidentiality have increased (Abbas, 2024). Finally, the absence of strong cybersecurity measures, combined with the rise of technology (e.g. AI) has made social media vulnerable to attacks or the transmission of fake news. For example, during the 2024 elections, several cases of fake news and manipulated content aimed at influencing public opinion were reported (Kalbe, 2024).
The report examines the presence of social media in Pakistan and its intertwining with censorship. It provides a historical contextual background in which it studies the presence of the internet and social media and their evolution in the fragile sociopolitical landscape. It then proceeds with an examination of government policies and regulations, detailing the legal framework, key laws and recent legislative changes affecting social media. Finally, it explores the social impact of these regulations, focusing on freedom of speech and the daily lives of citizens, and journalists, highlighting how censorship affects communication and information sharing.
This transformation is significant in Pakistan, where the media landscape has evolved rapidly in response to technological developments and socio-political dynamics, offering a new landscape for expressing citizen discontent. According to JICA research, 36.5%, or 82.90 million people of the population use the internet and 71.70 million are active on social media. Of these, most of the population (71.7) use YouTube, with 43.55 using Facebook. Impressive is the participation on Twitter (X) where in times of important political events, active participation increases. For example, its share rose from 1.5% to 20.56% in March 2022 (Arif, 2022). The World Population Foundation (WPF) report shows that the majority of internet users (around 50%) are young, aged 18-24, with a higher proportion of men (69%) than women (31%) (Zulqarnain, & Taimur, 2017).
Social media has played a crucial role in the democratisation process in Pakistan, enabling citizens to learn about socio-political issues, express their opinions, engage in political dialogue and promote human rights. Their action is perceived in 5 ways: they amplify – and often break – stories that traditional media are unable or unwilling to cover, 2) serve as a communications platform by spreading information about protest campaigns and other social movements, thereby playing a mobilising role, 3) humanitarian dimension, 4) advocating for social causes 5) stimulate political communication (Kulgeman, 2012).
Already from 2007 to 2009, the Lawyers’ Movement, also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary or the Black Coat Protests, developed, whose purpose was to oppose the decisions of the former president, Pervez Musharraf, to suspend the power of the Supreme Court judge, an act that violated the Constitution of Pakistan. Thanks to social media, the Movement gained a great deal of momentum, as it helped to organise the protesters and gain support (Dawn, 2007). Similarly, the social media acted as a lever for exerting pressure on the state authorities. In particular, countries received campaigns such as #JusticeForZainab that aimed to raise awareness to demand justice for the rape and murder of a little girl. Finally, many initiatives, such as the Pakistan Software Houses Association, have been developed to educate and raise awareness among citizens, especially women, regarding the dangers of the internet and digital rights (Kulgeman, 2012).
Despite their positive contribution, social media in Pakistan has also been linked to several human rights violations. Government regulations and measures such as the Prevention of Cybercrime Act (PECA) of 2016 have been identified as a roadblock to civil liberties. Particularly during the 2024 national elections, there were serious concerns about freedom of expression and privacy; several social media accounts of political activists and opposition supporters were suspended or blocked, leading to complaints of censorship. At the same time, incidents of state surveillance and violations of users’ privacy and confidentiality have increased (Abbas, 2024). Finally, the absence of strong cybersecurity measures, combined with the rise of technology (e.g. AI) has made social media vulnerable to attacks or the transmission of fake news. For example, during the 2024 elections, several cases of fake news and manipulated content aimed at influencing public opinion were reported (Kalbe, 2024).
The report examines the presence of social media in Pakistan and its intertwining with censorship. It provides a historical contextual background in which it studies the presence of the internet and social media and their evolution in the fragile sociopolitical landscape. It then proceeds with an examination of government policies and regulations, detailing the legal framework, key laws and recent legislative changes affecting social media. Finally, it explores the social impact of these regulations, focusing on freedom of speech and the daily lives of citizens, and journalists, highlighting how censorship affects communication and information sharing.
Share this report
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
