PTA to Block Porn Websites on Mobile Phones

With rapidly increasing internet population, more than 29 million (PTA May, 2016 stats) people are using internet on mobile phones. Most of the internet users in the country is youth. There is a very little documentation or research on how productively the internet is being used in the country. That is why, previously Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked around 400,000 porn sites in Pakistan.

Now PTA, the regulator watchdog, is planning to ban/block porn websites on mobile phones as well.

PTA mentioned the reason for this restriction that it received many complaints from parents as their children are easily accessing them through own or parents mobile phones.

PTA to Block Porn Websites on Mobile Phones

Also Read: Offensive Urdu Apps Need Serious Attention from the Government

A part from this, others are accessing porn sites via VPN. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a typical method used to add privacy and security to both private and public networks, including WiFi Hotspots and Internet. Hence, we hope that this time, PTA is going to completely block all such websites that are considered as a threat to the society’s culture and norms.

Naveed Haq, Chapter Development Manager, Asia-Pacific, Internet Society (ISOC) shed light on this matter and said:

“In overall picture, I don’t think anybody will have any objection on blocking porn sites. Since 2006-07 porn content is banned in country as per supreme court decision.”

As the law for objectionable content is same for a user accessing any website either on personal computer or a mobile; hence, if pornographic are blocked on PC/laptop then they are also supposed to be blocked on mobile phones.

It is important to mention here that before this, parents also requested the Government to block some offensive Urdu applications that are available at play store these days.