ISLAMABAD: Despite ongoing government restrictions, Pakistanis are making up to 20 million daily attempts to access blocked explicit content through unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), sources told Geo News.
In response, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has ramped up its efforts to block such sites, having already restricted more than 844,000 immoral websites and over 100,000 objectionable URLs.
The growing use of unregistered VPNs, which allow users to bypass these online blocks, has led to complaints about slow VPN speeds. To address these concerns and improve security, the PTA is now blocking unregistered VPNs. This move is aimed at reducing security risks and preventing unauthorized access to illicit content.
Sources revealed that the PTA is fast-tracking the approval of authorized VPN services to address the issues arising from unregistered ones. The regulator emphasizes that unregistered VPNs pose significant risks, potentially exposing sensitive data to cyber threats. In response, the PTA has temporarily restricted some VPN services to facilitate their proper registration.
Since the introduction of VPN registration in 2010, over 20,500 VPNs have been registered, involving more than 1,400 companies. Efforts are underway to accelerate compliance with these regulations.
Users have reported disruptions in free VPN services, impacting their ability to browse securely. PTA officials assured that measures are being taken to streamline the VPN registration process while curbing illegal access to harmful content. VPNs are widely used around the world to bypass content restrictions, and the PTA’s focus is on maintaining online safety and preventing the circulation of harmful material.
Recently, the Ministry of Religious Affairs also urged the PTA to take stricter actions against pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful content. In a letter to the PTA, the Ministry expressed concern over Pakistan’s rise in pornographic content consumption, warning of the negative effects on public morality and societal well-being.
To further enforce its policies, the PTA has blocked approximately 1.3 million URLs containing “anti-Islam, indecent, and immoral” content as of July 2024. A report shared with the Peshawar High Court this month indicated that the PTA’s web monitoring system had processed 1.38 million URLs, blocking 93.84% (around 1.3 million) due to inappropriate material.
Among the blocked URLs were 147,569 from Facebook, 125,600 from TikTok, and 53,872 from Twitter. The PTA also disclosed that, since 2020, TikTok has removed over 113,000 items classified as immoral or anti-Islamic, with 24,800 removals this year alone.
The PTA’s latest actions reflect a broader commitment to monitoring and regulating digital spaces, as Pakistan continues to grapple with the challenges of online content regulation and cybersecurity.
