Islamabad, Aug 30: Through its Web Monitoring System, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has begun to limit access to various websites, social networking links, and mobile applications.
Through its Web Monitoring System, the PTA has so far blacklisted 2,369 URLs and 183 mobile applications that expose personal data and identity information, according to a written reply from the Minister in charge of the Cabinet Division to the National Assembly.
The WMS is a surveillance infrastructure that makes use of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology, according to sources that spoke with Bloom Pakistan. This gives PTA considerable control over internet traffic at the gateway level. This system, which the PTA paid almost $18 million to purchase from a Canadian company in 2019, gives them the ability to impose widespread blocking and censoring policies.
Additionally, according to sources, the PTA has started using this technique to restrict social media IDs and other online businesses that are allegedly spreading misinformation against Pakistan’s larger interests and governmental institutions.
According to the Minister in charge of the Cabinet Division, PTA periodically runs public awareness efforts to teach people how to use the Internet safely. Print media, SMS, and the PTA’s official social media accounts are some of the outreach methods used in these initiatives.
In addition, the government has put up the Personal Data Protection Bill, whose present status is currently being reviewed, in an effort to improve data privacy and protection in the nation.
PTA has created an online E-Portal system for government entities, allowing law enforcement, federal and provincial ministries, and other stakeholders to promptly file complaints in support of content regulatory activities. This platform is currently being used by 47 entities to track their issues in an easy and error-free manner.
The public can report illegal online content using a variety of methods, including the PTA website, mobile application, and dedicated email service, which all offer an easy-to-use Complaint Management System (CMS).
