KARACHI:
After much deliberation, the government has finally announced that the TikTok app has been banned in Pakistan. With millions of users within the country alone, the news has already created much outcry on social media. But before coming to a rash conclusion regarding the effectiveness of the ban it is important to understand the situation as a whole first.
Apart from becoming one of the most famous online entertainment platforms in Pakistan, thousands of people rely solely on the app as a means of income through advertisements and viewership. Apart from that, since people are in control of the content they create, the phenomenon of content culture emerges. In this regard, the PTA has asserted that the app has failed to filter out “immoral and indecent” content, which is slowly corrupting the youth and leading them astray.
While the ban may be justified to a certain extent, it is by no means an efficacious solution. And even though PTA has already blocked more than 800,000 websites and platforms, positive results are yet to be seen. Therefore, instead of resorting to the useless act of outright bans, something that will merely add fuel to the fire, I urge the government to come up with an alternate solution.
Rahmatullah Shafiq
Turbat
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2020.
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