By March of 2012, The Pakistani Telecommunication Authority (PTA), may have succeeded in deployment of an Internet URL Filtering and Blocking system unless we, global citizens, along with the people of Pakistan, help prevent this from occurring.
As people become more aware and active globally, governments have begun to attempt to increase online censorship. Online censorship or filtering can be seen as justifiable when it may involve harmful content to children in educational systems, however, to censor or filter Internet usage in any fashion to adults, is in direct violation of constitutions and amendments that exist, against 14 of 30 Universal Human Rights, and the Constitution of Pakistan, as seen in the preamble alone.
America, with help from worldwide activists, citizens, businesses and Internet networks, fought back against two proposed bills SOPA [Stop Online Piracy Act] and PIPA [Protect IP Act] through petitions, calling state and government legislation, with businesses and online networks blacking out their websites in protest.
Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet.
The PTA is asking institutions [business, organizations, education, communication, media, etc] to submit a proposal allowing the PTA to block URL’s [universal resource locaters] aligned with The National RCT & RD Fund.
THE RCT states the URL blocking will “Transform Pakistan’s economy into a knowledge based economy by promoting efficient, sustainable and effective ICT initiatives through synergic development of industrial and academic resources.”
This is not the first time Pakistan has experienced online censorship in the current Federal Parliamentary System [Executive branch with support of legislation] however, with help, it can very well be the last.
On 24/7, Faisal Kapadia, broadcast journalist, speaks with Sana Saleem, activist/journalist and Yusra Askari, corespondent with NDTV in Part One of “Out of Bounds” on the Firewall Looming in Pakistan. All three explain and address how the government has invited proposals to private and semi-private companies to block 5 to 10 million URLS.
Why is the government doing this?
In Part Two of “Out of Bounds“, Faisal addresses the online community for reaction inside and out of Pakistan as to how this issue is viewed using varied comments from activists, journalists and citizens.
In May of 2011, The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights General Assembly in Article A/HRC/17/27 focused on freedom to access online content, access to the physical and technical infrastructure online, the increase in censoring information online, namely through arbitrary blocking or filtering of content, and criminalization of legitimate expression as human rights abuses under the right to freedom of expression and opinion.
Universal access to the Internet is not only freedom of expression and opinion as a human right, it is part of the Constitution of Pakistan. Blocking of URLS will hamper international business inside and out of Pakistan, as well as further damaging the cross border communications already in dire need of repair between people.
Business owners may not be able to promote their services, as well as global access to each business. Media will be hampered immensely due to not being able to access the global online network in order to tell the world what is occurring in Pakistan. Global aid for disaster relief, disease, hunger and medical care will not be able to reach those in need. The world will continue to operate as usual, however, to assume according to the RCT statement aligned with the Government of Pakistan that this filtering is solely to enhance the economy and education of Pakistan is preposterous at most.
On the US State Website after a 2010 visit to China, where the government controls the Internet, President Obama held a meeting with an online component to highlight the importance of the Internet. He defended the right of people to freely access information, and said that the more freely information flows, the stronger societies become. Obama spoke about how access to information helps citizens hold their own governments accountable, generates new ideas, encourages creativity and entrepreneurship.
In 2011, SOPA and PIPA were introduced to the American public.
Condemnations of this action, along with information regarding this initiative have already begun by: The Electronic Frontier Foundation Civil Society Against Blanket Ban of the Internet and Freedom House.Org.
Censorship, in any form, is to silence.
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PTA should block all website containing porn material…..
This is not just about porn, please do read, watch the show, research the links. Thank you.
This is not about porn.
And even if it were were just about porn, that still breaks constitutional and human rights [14 of them.]
well Susan nice article. If it is about just porn still blocking website is not a solution. I guess we need to train our youth rather then blocking websites. You can not just ban things. We need to teach them what is good and what is bad for them. Then its up to that individual that what he choose for himself. Nobody else is allowed to choose for them.
If they think blocking website will make them happy then i have a news for them that ‘they cant’. there r thousand of website which can redirect us to ban websites.thousand of proxies are available on net. So dont we think people will learn soon that how to visit ban porn website.
Unfortunately we gave then internet but we didnt TRAINED them.
Zulfiqar thank you and I do agree about acting accordingly. This does indeed involve more than just accessing porn sites though. Thank you so much for your comments.
ITS JUST THAT THEY dont want people to be one… lyke the massive movements which took place in egypt and other arabic countries were all dont through blogs and social websites, and if they will control the content, they will control their demolition as well….
pretty clever…..
Dr. Abdul, yes! Thank you fr thinking rationally, this is exactly what this is about and why I decided to write about it.
Surfing internet must not cause any headache to govts.They are not the ones who decide what we have to do.
Naeem indeed. And thank you. So very much.
Everytime someone talks about internet filtering, everyone starts talking about human rights and freedom of information. What the government is talking about is URL filtering at the momet, which takes place at every level of connectivity, from ur local home router, ur isp and at a government level in every nation in the world. The current internet security landscape requires that such a system be in place in order to filter malicious urls etc. Furthermore internet is a service provided by the government and not a right for citizens, if u think u need unrestricted access to the internet buy yourself a satellite link. And if u use that internet connection for unethical conduct on the internet the government has a right to take it away from you. Nobody is talking about arbitrarily blocking websites, there is no talk of blocking social networking sites. There is only talk of getting a URL Filtering system in place, no details have surfaced about what is going to be blocked. The Pakistan government reserves the right to block content it deems unfit. Please read the articles in consideration carefully and dont cry wolf.
Internet service provided by any government is monitored internet service. So, citizens should not have rights? OK. Thanks for reading.
I do not mention anything you are saying I mentioned at all. I am presenting fact straight from the websites and documents. YOU mention all the other networks, you need to re read what I have written, not I. As of present day all above is FACT. AS I STATE.
Waqas the FIRST sentence is all one needs to read: By March of 2012, The Pakistani Telecommunication Authority (PTA), may have . . .
”
Blocking of URLS will hamper international business inside and out of Pakistan, as well as further damaging the cross border communications already in dire need of repair between people.”
You have no basis for making this claim, blocking of URLs is a normal function of ISPs wordwide. It only tramples upon Human Rights if and only if these URLs are blocked without a valid reason. For e.g if there exists a fake Facebook login page (phishing page) would it not be a good idea to block access to this site? The current URL filtering system is not adequate to handle large volumes of traffic, the PTA is attempting to replace the current system with a better one. Opposing this system is tandem to saying that traffic police should not be given barricades because blocking traffic on certain roads (for whatever reason) infringes upon individual freedom to road access.
SOPA and PIPA were an entirely different thing. I request the Pakistani and global community to not oppose this move.
I have not made any claim. I am a journalist writing of the words and actions of citizens OF Pakistan. I kindly asked you to re read, you have not done that. Again, thank you for visiting. Have a nice day.
Susan,
Leave Pakistan alone. Go and a do your show some where else. You are active about Internet. What about all people killed there?
Stop it, I support humanity.
”The Pakistan government reserves the right to block content it deems unfit”. At present the Pakistani government itself is unfit to govern. What the government in the last four years has done to eradicate power crisis and massive corruption? rather its the government who is involved in massive corruption. You want us to depend on this government to decide for us now on how to use internet..For sure the Pakistani government’s motive is ulterior..do you remember last year our interior minister threatening of life imprisonment for people who exchange text messages containing jokes against the president? Can you recall the ridiculous list of words released by PTA few months ago that it intended to block over SMS messages. The government has no right whatsoever to decide what the people can or cannot see on the internet.
“if u think u need unrestricted access to the internet buy yourself a satellite link” so you are in favor that rich people who can afford a satellite link are free to do what they want and an average citizen who cannot afford a satellite link has no such right? If the government has the right on internet censorship than why not ban satellite equipment also so that people are treated equally??
PTA id doing Right. We all Pakistanis are with PTA in this censorship, infact, we push the PTA to censor these sites. No Need to Talk in our affairs, we are very well aware of our freedom. Thanks.
Agreed. We pteserve our rights when it comes to that. Just let them filter porn. Iys too early for y kids.
Dr. Faisal thank you and yes people do need to preserve their rights, this is exactly what this is about.
So the entire nation agrees with you? Please do not assume I am ignorant, I support Pakistan app bhai kesey hain mein theek hoon Merhbani.
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This is really a good thing so that we can keep our internet more secure
Thank you Sabrina!
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” if there exists a fake Facebook login page (phishing page) would it not be a good idea to block access to this site?” Are you joking or naive..do you really thing this is the purpose behind this internet filtering system?