The Peshawar High Court, while hearing a constitutional petition seeking a ban on TikTok, sought a report from the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority and adjourned further proceedings.

During the hearing, Justice Ejaz Anwar remarked that if the government wants a political post blocked, it is blocked immediately. He questioned what difficulties exist in preventing immoral or inappropriate content.

The petitioner's counsel, Barrister Babar Shehzad Imran, argued that TikTok hosts videos containing immoral content, which is negatively affecting societal values. He requested the court to direct authorities to take effective measures to curb such content.

During the proceedings, the court also reviewed a report submitted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding the alleged firewall. PTA's counsel, Jehanzeb Mehsud, informed the court that social media platforms use algorithms that show users content based on their interests. As a result, once a user watches a certain type of video, similar content continues to appear in their feed.

Also Read : Iran-US Deal Hype Sparks Rally in Iranian Currency

 

He further stated that various reports regarding a firewall have been circulating, but in reality, no such firewall exists. According to him, the PTA has blocked millions of inappropriate videos and taken action against numerous accounts. However, completely controlling a specific video immediately is not technically easy.

Justice Ejaz Anwar observed that if swift action can be taken against political posts, then effective measures should also be possible in cases involving inappropriate content.

The PTA counsel informed the court that the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority has now been established to monitor and regulate social media platforms, and that institution is currently handling such matters.

The court directed the authority to submit a detailed report and adjourned the hearing.