The E-Safety Authority Bill, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the helm, was recently approved by the Federal Cabinet. Its primary objective is to strengthen the supervision of internet-related actions.
As part of this bill, the government will now register and closely observe all websites, online channels, and YouTube channels. To implement this, a new E-Safety authority will be established to oversee online behavior. The Ministry of IT has drafted the E-Safety Bill, and the Federal Cabinet has granted it preliminary approval.”This recently established governing body will take over from existing entities such as PTA, FIA, and PEMRA. Its main focus will be on registering and overseeing websites, online channels, and YouTube channels that are related to news content.”
This decision comes in response to the need for stricter control over online information, as reported by sources in ProPakistani. The same organization will also have the power to register and oversee news media websites, including those of newspapers and television stations. Websites that publish false news may be blocked and fined by the authority. Sources claim that the PICA Act’s Section 37 regarding online monitoring has been deemed to fall short of its goals and has been included in the bill. PTA will lose access to the ability to monitor websites. The Bill found that the FIA’s authority under the PICA Act was also insufficient.
The PECA Act’s social media regulations have allegedly also not proven to be successful, according to the bill. Social media content cannot be blocked for PTA. According to the bill, there is no specific authority in place to deal with cybercrimes under the PECA Act. The FIA was assigned the duty, even though it is already overworked.
By limiting the authority of PEMRA, the same organization will register online news websites as well. The same authority will also choose whether to provide adverts to registered websites, web channels, and YouTube channels that comply with government regulations.
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