Govt to regulate use of VPNs through whitelisting, says PTA
Technology
Users have to register themselves for authorised use of VPNs for social media
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), national telecommunication regulator, is planning to regulate use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) nationwide.
During the meeting of Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, PTA Chairman retired Maj Gen Hafeezur Rehman announced the government plans of whitelisting VPNs to halt the use of unauthorised networks in the country.
“Only whitelisted VPNs will work and others will be blocked,” he informed.
He disclosed that only 30 pc of Pakistani users were accessing X through VPN and usage of X had been reduced by 70 pc. However, the demand for VPNs has increased in Pakistan after the ban on X.
The PTA chairman claimed the authority would open the X platform when the government would request and allow it.
He also revealed that X platform took action on the complaints by 7pc only in the last three months.
TikTok took action on complaints and complied with the Pakistani laws the most. On the other hand, X complied with Pakistani laws the least.
STATE MINISTER SHAZA FATIMA
Similar stance was shared by Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima who said X was banned for its non-compliance with local laws.
The PTA chairman asserted that the regulatory authority closed or banned the social media platform on the directions of the government if some posts and content violated Pakistani laws.
WHAT IS WHITELISTING?
The PTA chairman also reiterated that the authority could blanket ban or block the social media platforms, Facebook or X on controversial and anti-state content, as it was not possible to block specific posts.
Whitelisting is a process through which citizens and organisations register themselves to an authorised regulator to use and access social media through VPNs.
According to sources, VPN whitelisting could take two to three years as it’s an exhaustive process.
Similarly, Pakistan is installing firewalls on the internet to filter out the content against the laws, regulations and state. Users have been facing disruption in internet and social media access.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also voiced the same concerns to regulate social media to halt online anti-state and malicious content and mitigate digital terrorism.
