From the proposed mandatory registration for OTT platforms in Pakistan to Meta ending the ban on word “shaheed”, here’s everything we covered at Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) this week.
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PAKISTAN: Telecom regulator proposes mandatory registration for OTT platforms
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed a mandatory local registration for Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms in the country, according to a consultation paper uploaded to the telecom regulator’s website.
The proposed registration, which will be valid for 15 years, targets popular video streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube, and social media services, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter), among others. The platforms will be granted a 15-year licence by the PTA, according to the document, which is open for stakeholder and general public responses “preferably in soft form” until July 10, 2024.
“The objective of this regulatory framework is to provide regulatory mechanism for the stakeholders to enable the development and facilitation/management of OTT communication (voice/video calling & messaging) based services in Pakistan,” the PTA says.
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Meta removes ban on word ‘shaheed’
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has ended its ban on the Arabic word “shaheed” or “martyr” in English, following recommendations from the organisation’s advisory body, the Oversight Board.
The term “shaheed” had been under review for nearly a year. The Oversight Board found the blanket ban on the word “overbroad”, urging Meta to revoke it. According to the board, the word “shaheed” was taken up for review because it constituted more content takedowns across Meta’s social media platforms than any other term.
In March, the board announced in conclusion of its review that Meta failed to take into account the diverse connotations of the word, and that the term “shaheed” was not just used to glorify individuals involved in violent or terrorist activities.
Meta has acknowledged that “shaheed” is one of the most over-enforced words on its platform, the Oversight Board says.
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PAKISTAN: Telecom regulator’s mass surveillance system disclosed in court docs
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been running a mass surveillance system through telecom companies across the country, it has emerged in an order by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), according to a report by Dawn.com.
The surveillance mechanism, called the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), can monitor any user’s calls, text messages, and fetch their cellular information. The telecom companies are operating the system on the orders of the PTA with no regulation or legal measures in place.
The revelations have surfaced in an IHC order in connection with a case related to individuals whose private phone calls were tapped and released on social media platforms. In the weeks leading up to the February 8 general elections, a series of recorded phone calls, including those of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, were leaked online. Subsequently, the matter was taken to court.
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PAKISTAN: Telecom regulator’s responsibility to report ‘blasphemous’ content, TikTok says
TikTok says that it is the responsibility of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to report “blasphemous” content to the platform, according to a report by Geo News.
TikTok made these remarks in a letter submitted to the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in a hearing for a petition calling for a permanent ban against the short-video platform. The application, filed last month by a lawyer, seeks countrywide takedown of TikTok over claims of “blasphemous” content.
In response, TikTok says it received no directives from the telecom regulator of late in connection with violations of the country’s blasphemy laws, and that the platform proceeds with content removal following correspondence from the PTA.
The respondents named in the petition include the PTA, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Ministry of Information.
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AUSTRALIA: Meta may block news content from Facebook
Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is contemplating removing news content in Australia if forced to pay a licencing fee to the publishers, according to a report by Reuters.
The disclosure came Friday at a parliamentary hearing by a Meta representative, who was questioned if the company would restrict news content from Facebook in Australia over licencing fees under the country’s News Media Bargaining Code. The representative, saying “all options are on the table”, hinted at a complete blockage of news for Australian users.
“There’s a large number of channels that people can get news content from,” said Mia Garlick at the Social Media and Australian Society inquiry. Garlick is the regional policy director at Meta.
According to Garlick, Meta is waiting for the Australian government to decide if it would take up the 2021 legislation — which obliges Meta to pay news publishers for their content on Facebook.
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