PTA warns against spread of illegal, hateful content on social media

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday warned social media users that illegal, hateful, defamatory or misleading content must be removed immediately, cautioning that violations could invite criminal action.

In a public advisory, the PTA said that under Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, knowingly spreading false information that harms a person’s reputation or violates privacy constitutes a criminal offence.

The authority advised users to strictly refrain from creating, uploading or disseminating such content, urging the public to avoid participating in narratives that undermine national integrity or damage the dignity of state institutions and individuals.

“Responsible digital conduct is a collective civic obligation,” the PTA said in the advisory.

The warning comes after rumours circulated online on January 15 claiming a nationwide internet disruption, which the PTA subsequently denied. The regulator clarified that routine submarine cable maintenance was underway and that internet services across the country remained stable.

Internet disruptions and slow speeds have been a frequent public complaint in recent months, with authorities attributing the issues to factors including undersea cable maintenance, spectrum constraints and security-related measures.

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According to the report, the Economic Coordination Committee has recently approved the auction of 600 MHz spectrum, a move expected to improve internet speeds and support the rollout of 5G services in the country.

In the past, authorities have also taken action under PECA to remove or block online content. More than 44,000 social media accounts and posts were removed or blocked between January 2023 and June 2024 across platforms including Facebook, YouTube and X, the PTA said.