TikTok scraps around 6.5m videos from Pakistani content creators

According to TikTok, the content from the Pakistani market violated TikTok’s community guidelines, terms of service and some of the videos were endorsing COVID-19 misrepresentation.

In the three months from January till March 2021, 61,951,327 videos were removed globally, which is less than 1% of all videos uploaded on TikTok.

On the contrary, TikTok has removed 8,540,088 videos uploaded from the United States users were removed during this period.

Earlier, TikTok’s representative in the latest development stated that protecting the community is the foremost priority of the app and the platform does not allow content that encourages or exaggerates dangerous behaviour, which can hurt someone.

Talking to a local news outlet, when asked about the disciplinary actions being taken against violations conducted, a representative of the short video, platform said, Pakistan is ranked second among the countries from which most of the material has been removed in violation of TikTok’s instructions around the world.

The United States topped the list with 11.7 million videos removed.

He added that according to the Transparency Report 2020, more than 8.15 million videos were removed from Pakistani accounts in just six months.

He said that 20 per cent of the removed material was found to be based on sexual and nudity, 18 per cent on illegal activities and 6.5 per cent on harassment and ridicule.

"Our Community Guidelines do not allow anyone to be embarrassed, harassed or ridiculed," the spokesman clarified.

Humorous content or behaviour can cause great psychological distress, so much content is removed from TikTok, he added.

According to the spokesperson, there is an effective and solid system of TikTok for the protection of youth and families and it is updated regularly.

TikTok Banned in Pakistan

The Sindh High Court (SHC) Monday issued directives to the Pakistan Telecommu­nica­tion Authority (PTA) to suspend access to TikTok across the country until July 8.

The court issued the order on a petition filed by a citizen dejected by the "immorality and obscenity" spread by content on popular video-sharing mobile applications.

The PTA has been directed to suspend the app until the next hearing of the case. The hearing will be resumed on July 8.

The court in its order stated that TikTok had not abided by "the constant undertakings and assurances" given by it before various courts and the PTA to block accounts spreading vulgarity.

The social media app also failed to respect the law and basic injunctions of Islam as well as the culture of Pakistan and recently began a social media campaign whereby they are celebrating 'LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Pride Month'", the order added.

In October 2020, the PTA had banned TikTok for the first time over complaints regarding indecent and immoral content.

The government lifted the ban 10 days later after assurance from the management that they would block all accounts repeatedly involved in spreading obscenity and immorality.

In its tweet, the PTA had said "TikTok will moderate the account[s] under local laws".

In March, the PTA had directed internet service providers to immediately block access to TikTok following the orders of the Peshawar High Court.

The PHC had imposed a temporary ban on the platform's functioning in the country on a petition filed by several citizens stating that the content shared on the application violated Pakistan’s Constitution, guaranteeing the social and moral well-being of citizens.

The ban, however, was lifted by the PHC a few weeks later, with a direction to the PTA to take steps to ensure that "immoral content" was not uploaded to the platform.

Application to ban TikTok moved in SC 

An application was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a ban on Tiktok.

Ali Zeb of Pakpattan said that TikTok was promoting crime, with people using drugs and weapons and uploading videos, while the use of TikTok in educational institutions is leading to a bad environment for the students

The petitioner said individuals are making recordings of endeavours like an attempt of suicide to get views on TikTok, and that the content on it is against the Islamic laws of Pakistan.