"The app did not fully comply with the instructions, which is why directives have been given to block the TikTok app in the country," the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) said in a statement. . She had previously issued two warnings to TikTok, asking it to block "immoral, obscene and vulgar" content. As of Friday, it became impossible to log into TikTok in Pakistan.
Arslan Khalid, an adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan in charge of digital media, had recently claimed that "the exploitation, objectification and sexualization of young girls on TikTok" caused suffering for parents.
A source of entertainment
In a statement, TikTok said "hopes to reach an agreement that will help us serve the country's vibrant and creative online community." "TikTok is a major source of entertainment for middle and lower class Pakistanis, as well as illiterate citizens, which is half of the population, because it is video-based," commented Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist. , deploring a violation of freedom of expression.
A hunt for immoral content
Pakistan has embarked on a hunt for immoral content on the internet and social networks. In early September, he banned several dating apps, including Tinder and Grindr, for the same reasons. At the end of August, he told Youtube, a subsidiary of Google, to block "vulgar, indecent, immoral content, nude images and hate speech".
Controversial
Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok was banned in Bangladesh last year in the fight against pornography, while Indonesia briefly blocked access on blasphemy grounds. The app is also the subject of growing controversy over how it collects and uses data, although it has repeatedly denied sharing information about its users with Chinese authorities.
It risks being banned in the United States, after officials said it posed a risk to national security and President Donald Trump said he wanted to get it out of Chinese hands. Neighboring India has already blocked the app, along with dozens of other Chinese mobile platforms.