Pakistan reportedly begins preparation for ‘Digital Rights Protection Bill’

Pakistan is reportedly in the process of drafting a 'Digital Rights Protection Bill' to safeguard the rights of women, children, and minorities, and to combat extremist ideologies and terrorism on social media platforms.

The bill aims to establish a supportive digital environment for social media companies to operate efficiently.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the Ministry of Information Technology to lead the implementation of these initiatives, which are anticipated to address various challenges faced by social media companies in Pakistan.

The proposed legislation not only intends to attract investments from international social media companies but also stresses the importance of regulatory frameworks to streamline their activities. Pakistan aims to create an attractive investment climate to encourage greater capital inflow from such companies.

Moreover, the bill aims to tackle issues like harassment, cyberbullying, dark web activities, and crimes against women online. It also aims to counter the spread of offensive religious content through social media channels.

The protection of children and minority communities is emphasized in the legislation, with measures to remove inappropriate content related to minors and ensure their rights are upheld in cyberspace.

The Ministry of Information Technology has already begun formulating recommendations and policies with the input of experts in the field.