
Pakistan Approves Broad New Restrictions over Social Media - ryzvonusef
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pakistan-approves-broad-new-restrictions-over-social-media-11581613190
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ryzvonusef
[https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/CP%20(Against%20On...](https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/CP%20\(Against%20Online%20Harm\)%20Rules%2c%202020.pdf)

* "Over The Top Application (OTT A)" means the messaging, voice or video calling application or service provided over the internet which serve as an alternative to text messaging service provided by a mobile network operator, and includes __Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, WeChat, Skype, Telegram, Line, Imo, Veon, Threema, Signal, QQ, Google Allo __and any other such application or service;

* "Social Media" means any social mediaapplication or service or communication channel dedicated to community based input, interaction, content, sub content sharing and collaboration, and includes __Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Youtube, Dailymotion, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok __and any other such application and service;

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ryzvonusef
__Obligations on Social Media Company with respect to blocking and removal of
unlawful online content.- __

* A Social Media Company shall, upon being intimated about any online content by the Authority, in writing or through email signed with electronic signature, which is in contravention of any provision of the Act, or any other law, rule, regulation for the time being in force or instruction of the National Coordinator, __shall act within twenty-four hours to remove, suspend or disable access to such online content __;

Provided that in case of emergency, the Social Media Company shall __act
within six hours to remove __, suspend or disable access to such online
content;

 __Explanation __.-for the purpose of this rule the National Coordinator shall
be the sole authority in determining the situation of emergency.

* The interpretation or permissibility of any online content, by the Authority or the National Coordinator under law, rule, regulation or instruction, __shall take precedence over any community standards or rules or community guidelines or policies or any other instruments devised by a Social Media Company __.

* A Social Media Company shall take __due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan __.

* A Social Media Company shall deploy __proactive mechanisms to ensure prevention of live streaming through Online Systems __in Pakistan of any content in violation of any law, rule, regulation for the time being in force or instruction of the National Coordinator particularly regarding online content related to terrorism, extremism, hate speech, defamation, fake news, incitement to violence and national security.

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 __Other Obligations of the Social Media Companies __.-

A Social Media Company Shall;-

* __register __with the Authority, __within three months __of the coming into force of these Rules;

* establish a __permanent registered office __in Pakistan with a physical address located in Islamabad, __within three months __of the coming into force of these Rules;

* appoint in Pakistan, a __focal person __based in Pakistan for coordination with the National Coordinator and the Authority __within three months __of the date of coming into force of these Rules;

* establish one or more __database servers __in Pakistan by the Social Media Company, __within twelve months __of the date of publication of these Rules to record and store data and online content, within the territorial boundaries of Pakistan for citizen data privacy;

* __shall remove, suspend or disable access to such account, online content of citizens of Pakistan residing outside its territorial boundaries __and posts on online content that are involved in spreading of fake news or defamation and violates or affects the religious, cultural, ethnic, or national security sensitivities of Pakistan.

* if communicated by the Authority that an online content is false, __put a note to that effect along with the online content __.

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 __Provision of information by Social Media Company.- __

The Social Media Company shall provide to the Investigation Agency designated
or established under section 29 of the Act, any information or data or content
or sub-content contained in any information system owned or managed or run by
the respective Social Media Company, __in decrypted, readable and
comprehensible format __or plain version in accordance with the provision of
the aforesaid Act.

 __Explanation. __-The information to be provided may include __subscriber
information, traffic data, content data and any other information or data __.

\----

 __Blocking of Online System.- __

* In case a Social Media Company fails to abide by the provision of these Rules, the National Coordinator __may issue instructions for blocking of the entire Online System, Social Media Application or services or OTTA __owned or managed or run by the said Social Media Company.

* The Social Media Company shall have the right to file a representation within two weeks of the date of its blocking before a committee constituted by the Federal Government within fifteen days of the commencement of these Rules, and the Committee after conducting hearing of the representation shall take decision within three months on the submissions made in the representation.

* In case a Social Media Company fails to abide by any of these Rules, the National Coordinator may impose a __penalty up to five hundred million rupees __on it.

