Over a million web links and URLs blocked in Pakistan for illegal digital content

LAHORE (Dunya News) – More than one million web links and URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) have been blocked in Pakistan for spreading illegal digital content, according to a report by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) obtained by Dunya News.

The PTA report, submitted to the Lahore High Court, shows that Facebook and TikTok faced the highest level of blocking for sharing illegal or inappropriate content. On Facebook, 229,000 links were checked, of which 197,000 were blocked. On Instagram, 43,000 URLs were reviewed, and 38,000 were blocked. Over 174,000 TikTok links were examined, with more than 163,000 videos blocked.

According to the report, TikTok experienced the strictest crackdown, with 94% of illegal content blocked.

On YouTube, 72,000 links were checked, and over 64,000 were blocked. On X (formerly Twitter), more than 112,000 links were reviewed, of which 70,800 were blocked. Twitter had the lowest blocking rate, with only 62% of content removed. On other platforms, 898,000 links were reviewed, and 891,000 were blocked.

The report stated that over 1.4 million links and URLs were blocked for contempt of court, obscenity, anti-religious content, proxy-related content, and hate speech. Obscene and immoral content topped the list, with more than 1.06 million links blocked. Links targeting the state and Pakistan’s defense totalled 148,000, while anti-religious content led to the blocking of over 109,000 links. Sectarian and hate-related material resulted in 76,000 links being blocked. Content related to defamation and fake identities had the lowest blocking rate.