Pakistan

PTA targets VPNs in fight against adult content: The PTA has VPNs in its crosshairs in the fight against adult content, indicating increased enforcement against circumvention tools.

Discussion on 'Digital Childhoods' and social media age limit: An article discusses the proposed Social Media (Age Restriction for Users) Bill 2025, highlighting concerns about age verification and privacy.

Social Media Age Restriction Bill 2025 introduced: The Senate of Pakistan introduced the 'Social Media Age Restriction Bill 2025', modeled on Australia's under-16 ban, with digital age verification requirements.

Social Media Age Limit Bill tabled in Senate: A new bill was tabled in the Senate of Pakistan seeking to establish a minimum age limit of 16 for social media users.

X (Twitter) ban lifted: The ban on X (formerly Twitter) was silently lifted, with users reporting access without VPNs.

Pakistan Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 enacted: The Pakistan Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 was enacted, introducing provisions making the dissemination of 'fake or false' information a criminal offense.

Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 passed: The Provincial Assembly of Punjab passed the Punjab Defamation Bill 2024, criminalizing vaguely defined defamation.

Bolo Bhi report on E-Safety Bill risks: Bolo Bhi published a report highlighting the constitutional and human rights risks of Pakistan’s E-Safety Bill.

X (formerly Twitter) blocked: X (formerly Twitter) was blocked in Pakistan around the time of the 2024 general elections, citing national security concerns.

Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 passed by National Assembly: The National Assembly passed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025, introducing a criminal offense for 'false and fake information'.

Biometric registration for children 10-18: Pakistan introduced biometric registration (fingerprints and facial photo) for children between 10 and 18 years old when adding them to the civil registry or updating their information.

Official Secrets Act and Pakistan Army Act amended: The National Assembly and Senate passed amendments to the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and the Pakistan Army Act (PAA), potentially criminalizing online activities.

E-Safety Bill 2023 approved in principle: The federal cabinet provided approval in principle to the E-Safety Bill 2023, which aims to regulate online social network platforms.

Personal Data Protection Bill passed by cabinet: The federal cabinet passed the Personal Data Protection Bill, aiming to govern the storage and use of data collected through online services.

Wikipedia ban lifted: The ban on Wikipedia was lifted by the Prime Minister's Office.

Wikipedia banned for blasphemous content: Wikipedia was banned for two days over alleged blasphemous content.

PECA Section 20 amendments: Amendments to PECA Section 20 (criminal defamation) expanded the definition of a person and increased the maximum prison sentence.

Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content Rules 2021 enacted: The Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2021 were enacted, expanding PTA's powers to block and remove content.

Temporary ban on social media applications: Various social media applications including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Telegram were temporarily banned.

TikTok ban removed: The ban on TikTok was removed after management assured cooperation.

TikTok banned for 'immoral content': TikTok was banned by the PTA over complaints against 'immoral content'.

Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules 2020 issued: The Government of Pakistan issued new policy rules, later known as the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2021.

Tinder and Grindr blocked: Pakistan blocked dating apps Tinder and Grindr for 'immoral content'.

VPN registration announced: The PTA announced that internet users would be instructed to register their VPNs or face legal action.

800,000 additional pornographic websites banned: Around 800,000 additional websites containing pornographic content were banned by the PTA.

Wi-Fi hotspot data retention regulations: Regulations were introduced requiring all Wi-Fi hotspot service providers to retain user data.

Mass blocking of social media during protests: Mass-scale blocking of social media and content-sharing websites including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook throughout Pakistan was imposed by the government in response to violent protests.

YouTube ban officially lifted: The ban on YouTube was officially lifted as YouTube launched a local version for Pakistan.

Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) enacted: The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) became effective, granting broad powers for online content regulation.

400,000 porn sites blocked: Government ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block more than 400,000 websites containing pornographic content.

26 million SIM cards blocked: 26 million SIM cards that failed to meet new biometric registration requirements were blocked.

YouTube to remain blocked 'indefinitely': The government announced that YouTube would remain blocked 'indefinitely' as no solution was found to totally block offensive content.

Biometric thumb impression for SIM registration: A biometric thumb impression was added to the registration requirements for SIM cards.

Major Torrenting Websites banned: Pakistani ISPs banned 6 of the top 10 public Torrent sites in Pakistan.

Netsweeper technology used for internet filtering: Citizen Lab reported that Canadian internet-filtering product Netsweeper was in use at the national level in Pakistan for political and social filtering.

YouTube blocked again, 20,000 websites blocked: The PTA blocked YouTube for not removing an anti-Islamic film and announced blocking about 20,000 websites due to 'objectionable' content.

PTA begins blocking pornographic websites: The PTA announced it was in the process of banning the 1,000 most-frequented pornographic websites in Pakistan.

PTA website defaced with demands for blanket ban: The PTA website was defaced by the same hacker, demanding a blanket ban on all explicit material.

Hacker demands permanent ban on pornography: A hacker claiming to be from Pakistan defaced the Supreme Court website, calling on the Chief Justice to permanently ban pornographic content.

Facebook ban lifted: The sitewide ban on Facebook was lifted after Facebook filtered content for users in Pakistan.

Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Wikipedia banned: PTA imposed a ban on Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, and Facebook in response to a 'Everybody Draw Mohammed Day' competition on Facebook.

YouTube ban lifted: The ban on YouTube was lifted after the website removed the objectionable content.

YouTube blocked by PTA: YouTube was blocked in Pakistan by the PTA due to 'non-Islamic objectionable videos'.

Supreme Court orders PTA to block blasphemous websites: The Supreme Court ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other government departments to adopt measures for blocking websites showing blasphemous content.

Supreme Court directs government to monitor blasphemous sites: The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the government to keep tabs on Internet sites displaying the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons.

FIA orders ISPs to monitor pornographic content: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) ordered Internet service providers (ISPs) to monitor access to all pornographic content.

Curbing porn browsing at internet cafes: Pakistan began efforts to curb porn browsing at internet cafes.

PTCL steps up monitoring of pornographic websites: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) announced it would be stepping up monitoring of pornographic websites, as well as 'Anti-Islamic' and 'blasphemous' sites.