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Thursday, March 28, 2024

PTA Ban on Wikipedia: Here’s All You Need to Know

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has recently banned access to the popular online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, in the country.

The reason for the ban is due to Wikipedia’s failure to remove “sacrilegious content” within the 48-hour deadline given by the regulator. In this article, we’ll go over the details of the ban and what it means for the people of Pakistan.

Why was Wikipedia Banned in Pakistan?

The ban on Wikipedia was imposed due to the website’s non-compliance with the directives for the removal of controversial content. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had requested the removal of certain content, but Wikipedia failed to respond or take down the content in question. As a result, the regulator banned the website in the country.

What Does the Wikimedia Foundation Have to Say About the Ban?

The Wikimedia Foundation, the charity that runs Wikipedia, has stated that the website does not make decisions about content and that access to knowledge is a human right. The Foundation hopes that the Pakistani government will restore access to Wikipedia promptly so that the people of Pakistan can continue to access and share knowledge with the world.

Why Was the Ban Imposed?

The telecom regulator had issued a notice under applicable law and court orders to block or remove the content in question and provided an opportunity for a hearing. However, Wikipedia failed to comply and its services were degraded for 48 hours. The regulator warned that if the non-compliance continues, Wikipedia would be permanently blocked in the country.

Experts React to the Ban on Wikipedia

Many experts and activists have criticized the ban on Wikipedia, calling it “disproportionate, unconstitutional, and quite ridiculous”. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has a history of taking notice of objectionable content on online platforms and has previously issued notices to websites like Wikipedia and Google for disseminating sacrilegious content. The authority has also blocked popular video-sharing apps like TikTok several times over “indecent” and “immoral” content, and had previously blocked YouTube from 2012 to 2016.

Pakistan President joins TikTok for a noble cause

The ban on Wikipedia in Pakistan is due to the website’s failure to remove controversial content within the deadline given by the regulator. The Wikimedia Foundation believes that access to knowledge is a human right and hopes that the Pakistani government will restore access to Wikipedia promptly. Many experts and activists have criticized the ban, calling it “disproportionate” and “unconstitutional”.

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