And now Facebook (after Youtube)...

[desan]

THE release of Facebooks latest Government Requests Report has laid bare the Pakistani governments priorities when it comes to the internet. Requests from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and IT ministry to restrict content on the social network increased nearly tenfold in January-June 2014, as compared to the previous six months.

Additionally, the report cited 116 government requests to access data from user accounts, of which 35.34pc resulted in the production of some data.

Even this limited glimpse into the dialogue between Facebook and the state reveals that the regressive block-and-ban policies that continue to prevent our access to YouTube are now being applied to the biggest social network in local cyberspace, with Facebook complicit in the act of censorship.

Also read: Analysis: What you cannot see on Facebook

Equally worrying is the fact that Pakistans over 17 million local Facebook users may have their privacy invaded by state agencies based on the cases put forward, and Facebooks understanding of local laws such as the controversial Protection of Pakistan Act.

Similar to the YouTube ban, this censorship and invasion of privacy appears impossible to challenge. There is no notice from either Facebook or the government. There is no transparency in the process, no mechanisms to redress or challenge actions taken by either party.

The deal between Facebook and the state remains unknown, despite the fact that basic rights access to information, free speech, privacy are being trampled upon.

The lack of transparency and accountability also leaves this clandestine system open to misuse and abuse, especially given the governments track record in cyberspace so far, and Facebooks limited understanding of Pakistan.

While extremist outfits organise freely and spread hate speech on Facebook, the few identified content restrictions have all targeted liberal, progressive voices such as the rock band Laal whose Facebook page was banned. With this seemingly ad hoc, arbitrary process of censorship, the government can hardly regain public trust.

It can only do so by making its actions in conjunction with Facebook public, and fulfilling its promise to open YouTube in the near future.

Published in Dawn, November 8th , 2014


http://www.dawn.com/news/1142955/and-now-facebook

 

[Akmal Zaidi]

...baz dafa kch choti choti cheezon samjhnay say buhat baray baray maslay hal hojatay hain....wo aap nay ek add dekha hoga ek sabun ka uss may sabun say hath dhonay ya nahanay kay bad ek circle ban jata hay jo aap ki hafazat karta hay jarasim say tik tik tik hmm...i think yaad agaya hoga aap ko ya ek chemical jisay aap laga kar macharon say mahfooz ho jatay hain tu bhayyo...aap meri bat samjho yeh sab tu chalta rahay ga machar aur jaraseem khatam nahi hongay aap un kay peechay pareshan na hon bus apna koi aisa bandobast karain jo aap ko in say mahfooz rakhay....tik tik tik tik..............