The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that Wikipedia services have been “degraded” in the country for 48 hours over the platform’s “failure” to take down “sacrilegious content”.
The PTA announced restricting the online encyclopedia in a statement released on Wednesday. The telecom regulator states that Wikipedia was issued a notice “under applicable law and court order(s)” for the removal of “unlawful” content, but the platform neither took down the reported content nor did it appear before the regulator despite being given “an opportunity of hearing”.
Wikipedia was approached for blocking/removal of the said contents by issuing a notice under applicable law & court order(s). An opportunity of hearing was also provided, however, the platform neither complied by removing the blasphemous content nor appeared before the Authority. pic.twitter.com/6dWRcbxHGB
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) February 1, 2023
“Given the intentional failure on part of the platform to comply with the directions of PTA, the services of Wikipedia have been degraded for 48 hours with the direction to block/remove the reported contents,” says PTA. “In case of non-compliance by Wikipedia, the platform will be blocked within Pakistan.”
The regulator adds that the restoration of Wikipedia services will be “subject to blocking/removal of the reported unlawful content”.
In December 2020, the PTA had issued similar notices to both Wikipedia and Google for “disseminating sacrilegious content”. The authority had threatened action against the platforms under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, commonly known as PECA.
The statement has attracted widespread concerns and condemnation from digital rights activists on social media.
“PTA continues to misuse PECA s37 while also disregarding IHC orders of parliamentary review of social media rules which appear to be in use here,” said Hija Kamran, a digital rights advocate. “Wikipedia and many other websites that PTA considers a threat, are sources of information for people. Censorship is never the answer.”
PTA continues to misuse PECA s37 while also disregarding IHC orders of parliamentary review of social media rules which appear to be in use here. Wikipedia and many other websites that PTA considers a threat, are sources of information for people. Censorship is never the answer. https://t.co/0YRgkEJ0T0
— Hija Kamran (@hijakamran) February 1, 2023
It is important to note that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had sent Social Media Rules 2021 and Section 37 (unlawful online content) of PECA to the Parliament for review in May 2022. There has been no significant progress in this regard, however, and both the PTA and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have attracted criticism for repeatedly taking regressive actions under the objectionable laws.
