PTA warns social media users against sharing illegal content

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has warned social media users against posting unlawful content online.

In a post on X, the regulator said that while freedom of expression is a constitutional right, its misuse to circulate illegal material will not be tolerated.

The PTA highlighted a range of content deemed illegal under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

This includes blasphemous material, content disrespecting religions, religious figures, material inciting violence against individuals or institutions, as well as the dissemination of hate speech, false propaganda targeting national or defence institutions, and the circulation of obscene or immoral content and fake news.

غیر قانونی آن لائن مواد – خبردار رہیں!
ڈیجیٹل پلیٹ فارمز پر اظہارِ رائے کی آزادی ہر فرد کا حق ہے،
لیکن اس آزادی کے نام پر غیر قانونی مواد کی تشہیر یا سرگرمیاں ہرگز قابلِ قبول نہیں۔
ڈیجیٹل پلیٹ فارمز اور سوشل میڈیا سائٹس پر:
مذاہب، رسالت یا مقدس شخصیات کی توہین،
کسی بھی فرد یا… pic.twitter.com/4cBKccbmkI

— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) August 5, 2025

The authority urged the public to report such material through the PTA’s official CMS mobile application, calling on citizens to remain vigilant in the interest of public safety and national harmony.

Earlier, the PTA had warned users about an increase in online scams involving messages falsely sent in the name of courier companies. According to the authority, scammers are impersonating courier service representatives to extract personal and sensitive information from users through fake parcel delivery notifications or payment verification codes.

Also Read: PTA warns public against fraudulent WhatsApp messages

These fraudulent messages may contain suspicious links, request verification details, or involve deceptive phone calls aimed at gaining unauthorized access to users' digital accounts. The PTA clarified that such communications are not connected to any legitimate courier service or government entity.

The telecom watchdog urged users to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited messages and to avoid sharing any personal information without verification.