JournalismPakistan.com | Published November 06, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
Pakistan is among the worst ten countries in the world for internet and digital media freedom, according to a report by an internet watchdog.
The Freedom House, an international internet rights group, released its ‘Freedom on the Net’ (FoTN) report for 2019, titled ‘The Crisis of Social Media,’ recording an overall decline in global internet freedom between June 2018 and May 2019.
The watchdog in its report placed Pakistan at 26, out of 100 (100 being the worst) — one place down from last year’s ranking, Dawn News quoted the report as saying.
The country scored 5 out of 25 for obstacles to access, 14 out of 35 for limits on content, and 7 out of 40 for violation of user rights index.
Globally, Pakistan is among the worst ten countries in terms of internet and digital media freedom. In terms of regional ranking, Pakistan emerged as the third-worst country after Vietnam and China, the report said.
Besides decline in internet freedom, the report found election manipulation in Pakistan through informational tactics such as the coordinated use of hyper-partisan commentators, bots, or news sites to disseminate false or misleading content as well as technical tactics, including intentional restrictions on connectivity and blocking of websites, it said.
The report for Pakistan was authored by the Digital Rights Foundation. DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad said: “The score this year is the culmination of short-term and regressive policies by successive governments. Years worth of draconian legislation and investment in structures that stymie freedom of expression has led to an environment where the internet in Pakistan is more unsafe and less inclusive.”
Internet penetration registered only marginal increases during the reporting period. There are 67 million broadband connections in Pakistan, an increase of 10m since the last report. However, it added that government initiatives to provide access to remote areas had progressed in recent years.
The report observed that authorities frequently disrupt telecommunication services during protests, elections, and religious and national holidays, often citing security concerns. During the 2018 general elections, mobile internet services were notably suspended in parts of Balochistan, and in all of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) during both the election period and in the lead-up, the report said.
The report noted that authorities had upped their efforts to silence critical journalists and activists using a range of techniques. Users were sentenced to death on charges of posting blasphemous content online, although their convictions were under appeal.
Over 800,000 websites hosting political, religious, and social content remain blocked while the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority continued to restrict content in a nontransparent and arbitrary fashion, the report said.
It added that state and other actors were known to exert extralegal pressure on publishers and content producers to remove content, and these instances frequently went unreported.
It observed that most online commentators exercised a degree of self-censorship when writing on topics such as religion, blasphemy, civil-military relations, separatist movements, and women’s and other minority communities’ rights.
The report said that governments around the world were increasingly using social media to manipulate elections and monitor their citizens, tilting the technology toward digital authoritarianism. — Agencies
December 05, 2024: UNESCO and IRADA hosted a national consultation in Islamabad, calling for inclusive Internet governance reforms in Pakistan to protect digital rights, freedom of expression, and access to information through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
December 04, 2024: A viral video claiming journalist Matiullah Jan was expelled from PMA has been debunked by iVerify Pakistan. The video, edited with AI, originates from the drama serial Ehd-e-Wafa.
November 30, 2024: Journalist Matiullah Jan has been released from Adiala Jail after securing bail, ending fears of a potential transfer to Attock Jail. He expressed gratitude to supporters and shared light-hearted moments about his custody.
November 30, 2024: Daily Dawn condemns the arrest of journalist Matiullah Jan as a misuse of the law. The editorial highlights concerns over the state's weaponization of legal provisions against journalists, activists, and dissenters.
November 30, 2024: The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court has granted bail to journalist Matiullah Jan in a case involving drugs and terrorism charges. He was released on a surety bond of PKR 10,000 following the suspension of his physical remand by the Islamabad High Court.
November 29, 2024: The Lahore High Court has ordered the production of journalist Shakir Mahmood Awan’s alleged kidnapper by Monday while summoning IG Punjab and demanding CCTV footage from Safe City.
November 29, 2024: Suno TV faces criticism for targeting senior journalist Matiullah Jan with a smear campaign following his controversial abduction and arrest. This raises serious concerns about media ethics and press freedom in Pakistan.
November 29, 2024: WISPAP has requested the Ministry of Interior to extend the deadline for VPN registration in Pakistan, citing the need to ensure compliance amid increasing VPN usage after platform bans.
December 05, 2024 Over 50 journalists protested in Kuala Lumpur against proposed amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act, which threaten press freedom. IFJ and NUJM urge the government to withdraw the bill and engage in stakeholder consultation.
December 04, 2024 The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 faces uncertainty as Pakistan's hosting rights clash with India's refusal to participate. A political and financial standoff unfolds.
December 03, 2024 Submit your work for the Global Shining Light Award by February 28, 2025. Celebrate investigative journalism from the Global South at the Kuala Lumpur conference.
November 21, 2024 Investigative journalist Rana Ayyub received over 200 threats after her phone number was leaked on social media by a right-wing content creator. IFJ and IJU demand Maharashtra authorities take immediate action against those responsible for this targeted online harassment.
November 20, 2024 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Germany is accepting applications for its 2025 Berlin Fellowship Program, offering journalists from crisis areas six months of digital security training, networking opportunities, and more.