Pakistan urges social media platforms to crack down on militant accounts to avoid legal action
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Article contentISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan on Thursday urged major social media platforms to crack down on accounts linked to militant groups, warning that failure to act could lead to stricter government measures or legal action.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentAt a news conference in Islamabad, Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said scores of accounts on X were operating from neighboring Afghanistan, India and elsewhere in the world, spreading extremist content and aiding outlawed militant groups.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentHe presented what he described as documentary evidence and said militants were benefiting from support inside the two countries.Article contentArticle contentThere was no immediate comment from Kabul or New Delhi.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentAn estimated 70 million people in Pakistan — a nation of about 250 million — use social media platforms. Chaudhry said Pakistan is currently serving as “a wall between terrorists and the world,” and warned that groups operating against Pakistan could eventually threaten other nations.Article contentPakistan has witnessed a surge in violence in recent months, mostly claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, and the Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. The TTP is a separate faction but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.Article contentMany TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary in Afghanistan since then.Article contentPakistan often accuses Afghanistan and India of supporting the BLA and the TTP, accusations both neighbors deny.Article contentChaudhry said Pakistani investigators recently identified at least 19 X accounts that were linked to militants and were being run from India. More than two dozen additional such accounts are active from Afghanistan, some with apparent ties to the Afghan Taliban government, he said.Article contentArticle content“This is a matter of serious concern,” Chaudhry said. “Kabul is not only sheltering militants but, in some cases, elements of the Afghan government are providing patronage to individuals spreading hate material and terror content against Pakistan.” He said Islamabad has repeatedly asked Kabul not to allow militants to use Afghan soil for attacks in Pakistan.Article content“We do not want to ban social media platforms,” Chaudhry said. “But we will be compelled to do what we do not want if we don’t get cooperation,” he said.Article contentChaudhry said so far the cooperation from X has remained limited, while platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram and Facebook have begun assisting Pakistan in identifying accounts spreading extremist content. He urged social media companies to open offices in Pakistan for better coordination and called for the use of artificial intelligence to detect and remove mirrored accounts that glorify militant groups or promote hate speech.Article contentWhile Pakistan has not yet taken legal action against X, Deputy Law Minister Aqeel Malik, who also spoke at the news conference, suggested the government could consider measures similar to Brazil, where the Supreme Court fined the platform for failing to provide registration data linked to accounts spreading disinformation.Article contentPakistan, in recent years, has briefly banned YouTube, TikTok, and X, often accusing the platforms of sharing hateful, obscene or anti-state content. Earlier this year, Pakistan’s parliament passed a controversial bill that will give the government sweeping controls over social media, including sending users to prison for spreading disinformation.Article contentTrending This generation of Canadians is rapidly increasing its wealth and may soon unseat the boomers Wealth David Rosenberg: 10 reasons why we're now bullish on the Canadian dollar for the first time in many years News 'Wild West out there': Cargo theft reports soar in Canada, but that's just the tip of the iceberg News Economy has Canadians exploring cheaper cars as stock leans to luxury Autos This Canadian mine is as big as a city. It has a basketball court and its chefs serve 4,000 meals daily Commodities Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. This generation of Canadians is rapidly increasing its wealth and may soon unseat the boomers Wealth David Rosenberg: 10 reasons why we're now bullish on the Canadian dollar for the first time in many years News 'Wild West out there': Cargo theft reports soar in Canada, but that's just the tip of the iceberg News Economy has Canadians exploring cheaper cars as stock leans to luxury Autos This Canadian mine is as big as a city. It has a basketball court and its chefs serve 4,000 meals daily Commodities