The federal government has proposed a five-year jail term or a fine worth Rs1 million for individuals found guilty of spreading “fake news” on social media, reports have emerged.
The strict measures have been proposed as part of amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, commonly known as PECA. Under the amended cyber law, a new authority will be established, known as the Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA). The authority will have a wide range of powers to monitor, remove, or block content the government deems harmful.
According to a report by Dawn.com, which cites the draft amendment, the proposed changes to PECA have expanded the scope of “social media” to include tools and software that are used to access online platforms. Other terms incorporated in the definition are “website”, “application”, or “communication channel” through which online posts can be accessed.
Given the proposed restrictions, the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) could be prohibited by the government, too. The use of VPNs surged in the country after the government blocked X (formerly Twitter) following the February 8 general elections. Since X is a blocked platform, using tools to access it could be on the DRPA’s radar.
The government has already ramped up measures for the registration or “whitelisting” of VPNs. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has established an online portal for the purpose. The authority has said that it is registering only commercial VPNs (those used by businesses). Internet users, however, have faced widespread disruptions to VPNs twice over the past month.
