TikTok ban lifted in Pakistan after four months; company agrees to content moderation

Pakistan’s media regulator, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has yet again lifted a ban imposed on TikTok after around four months. The move comes after the short video-sharing social media platform assured that it would control indecent content on the platform.

For those who are unaware, this is the fourth time in the past 15 months that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority imposed and lifted such a ban on TikTok. The platform was first blocked in October last year over what the regulator described as widespread complaints about allegedly “immoral, obscene, and vulgar” content on the app.

A statement issued by PTA said: “Subsequent to imposition of ban on 20 July 2021, PTA remained in communications with the TikTok management. As a result of continuous engagement, senior management of the platform assured PTA of its commitment to take necessary measures to control unlawful content in accordance with local laws and societal norms.”

Earlier this month, China-based TikTok and the PTA officials held a detailed discussion regarding content moderation on the social networking application in line with the local laws and societal norms.

In the meeting, the company highlighted initiatives, future strategies, and investments in the local market for ensuring safe, productive, informative, and legitimate content for Pakistani users. The app has been downloaded almost 39 million times in Pakistan.

TikTok has been banned in India since June last year along with a host of Chinese applications by the government. The app, which had about 200 million users at the time it was banned in India, is hoping to re-enter the Indian market.