PHC allows government to unblock video sharing app TikTok

According to details, a bench headed by Chief Justice Qaiser Rahid conducted the hearing in connection with a petition filed by a citizen to ban TikTok, a mobile app used by teenagers to make and share videos.

During proceedings, CJP PHC asked Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) about the actions being taken to remove immoral content from the app, to which PTA Director General replied that the authority has raised the issue with TikTok management.

“PTA has hired a focal person who will handle the issues of immoral and illegal content that is uploaded to the app”, he said.

Following the conclusion of arguments, court directed the government to unblock TikTok while ensuring that immoral content is not uploaded over the app.

On March 11, the PHC had ordered a ban on TikTok directing Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to block the app “until and unless some mechanism is devised to filter the material which is immoral and indecent and goes against our norms and ethics.”

Earlier on July 21, 2020 the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had issued a final warning to TikTok. The app was directed to introduce a complete mechanism to control “obscenity, vulgarity, and immorality through its social media platform”.