Google, Facebook, Twitter threaten to leave Pakistan after Imran govt bins their privacy

After PM Imran Khan-led Pakistan government announced new "draconian" rules for social media, which aims at giving direct powers to authorities to censor digital content, IT giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have threatened to leave the country. 

Under the new rules announced by Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Technology on Wednesday, social media companies and Internet service providers shall provide the designated investigation agency with any information or data in decrypted, readable and comprehensible format, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Subject to justifiable technical limitations, the information to be provided may include subscriber information, traffic data, content data and any other information or data.

Facebook, Google & Twitter raise alarm over new laws

In a statement shared with Dawn on Thursday, Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), which represents Facebook, Google and Twitter, raised its alarm over the scope of the new law targeting internet companies, as well as the government's "opaque process" by which these rules were developed.

The "Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2020" have been framed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA). The tech companies have warned that the rules would make it extremely difficult for the AIC members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses. It said the "draconian" data localisation requirements will damage the ability of people to access the free and open internet.

"The draconian data localisation requirements will also shut Pakistan's digital economy off from the rest of the world," the AIC said. The companies added it was chilling to see the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's powers expanded, allowing it to force the social media companies to violate established human rights norms on privacy and freedom of expression.

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AIC has said if Pakistan wanted to be an attractive destination for technology investment and realise its goal of digital transformation, then it should work with industry on practical, clear rules that protect the benefits of the internet and keep people safe from harm.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Imran Khan promised to initiate a "broad-based" consultation on content regulation after a strong backlash from stakeholders over the release of the Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules 2020. In October, the AIC had expressed its reservations over the consultation process in a letter addressed to Khan. Pakistani social media users and rights groups have already rejected the latest notification of the rules by the government. 

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