PTA’s reply sought on video-sharing service plea

Petitioner says Tiktok is not only spreading obscenity but also wasting time

LAHORE: Justice Shahid Waheed of the Lahore High Court has sought reply from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on a petition seeking directives to ban the video-sharing social media service TikTok.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) submitted its reply through its lawyer that it did not regulate social media. The petitioner should contact the council of complaints if objectionable material is found on electronic media, the lawyer said.

He prayed the court to dismiss the petition, contending that it was not maintainable.

Justice Waheed instructed the authority to submit the reply by the next date of hearing. The petitioner had contended that youth were being destroyed through social media and Tiktok was not only spreading obscenity but also causing wastage of time.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2020.