THE release of Facebook’s latest Government Requests Report has laid bare the Pakistani government’s priorities when it comes to the internet. Requests from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and IT ministry to restrict content on the social network increased nearly tenfold in January-June 2014, as compared to the previous six months.
Additionally, the report cited 116 government requests to access data from user accounts, of which 35.34pc resulted in the production of ‘some’ data.
Even this limited glimpse into the dialogue between Facebook and the state reveals that the regressive block-and-ban policies that continue to prevent our access to YouTube are now being applied to the biggest social network in local cyberspace, with Facebook complicit in the act of censorship.
Also read: Analysis: What you cannot see on Facebook
Equally worrying is the fact that Pakistan’s over 17 million local Facebook users may have their privacy invaded by state agencies based on the cases put forward, and Facebook’s understanding of local laws such as the controversial Protection of Pakistan Act.
Similar to the YouTube ban, this censorship and invasion of privacy appears impossible to challenge. There is no notice from either Facebook or the government. There is no transparency in the process, no mechanisms to redress or challenge actions taken by either party.
The ‘deal’ between Facebook and the state remains unknown, despite the fact that basic rights — access to information, free speech, privacy — are being trampled upon.
The lack of transparency and accountability also leaves this clandestine system open to misuse and abuse, especially given the government’s track record in cyberspace so far, and Facebook’s limited understanding of Pakistan.
While extremist outfits organise freely and spread hate speech on Facebook, the few identified content restrictions have all targeted liberal, progressive voices such as the rock band Laal whose Facebook page was banned. With this seemingly ad hoc, arbitrary process of censorship, the government can hardly regain public trust.
It can only do so by making its actions in conjunction with Facebook public, and fulfilling its promise to open YouTube in the near future.
Published in Dawn, November 8th , 2014
