Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday also blocked the video sharing website YouTube in a bid to contain blasphemous content available on it. The blockage came after PTA directed the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to stop access to social networking website Facebook for an indefinite period on Wednesday.
An official of the PTA told Business Recorder that the authority has blocked more than 450 links on internet containing derogatory material. The authority has directed all concerned ISPs to shut down the video sharing website Youtube in view of growing sacrilegious content on it, he added.
He said PTA used all possible avenues within its jurisdiction to avoid appearance of derogatory material available on these websites but their number increased as time passed which led PTA to completely shut down these sites in Pakistan. The official said that it was not only in line with the Constitution of Pakistan and the wishes of the people of Pakistan but also an extension of the court orders passed by the Lahore High Court. A statement issued by the authority says that the attitude of administrators at Facebook and YouTube was in contravention to the WSIS Resolutions and their own policies advertised on the web for general public.
PTA would welcome the concerned authorities of Facebook and YouTube to contact the PTA for resolving the issue at the earliest to ensure religious harmony and respect. A PTA official, on condition of anonymity said the action was taken after the authority determined that some sacrilegious caricatures had been transferred from Facebook to YouTube. However, he said this action would result in both economic as well as negative social impacts.
According to information available on internet, Facebook revenues are set to reach $1 billion this year. If Facebook has 400 million registered users than it means from one user Facebook earns around $2.5 a year (roughly). With 2.2 million Facebook users from Pakistan, Facebook earns around 5.5 million dollars in a year. Divide it by 365 to get one day earning from Pakistan. PTA has set up a crisis cell to monitor such contents and announced that toll free number 0800-55055 and email address [email protected] can be used to notify URLs where objectionable material is available.
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