ISLAMABAD: Tinder, a globally popular dating app, said on Wednesday it would welcome the opportunity to discuss its products and moderation efforts with the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and looked forward to a "meaningful conversation” as Pakistan blocked five dating apps for not adhering to local laws.
The five blocked apps are Tinder, Tagged, Skout, Grinder and SayHi.
“Our team uses a network of industry-leading automated and manual moderation and review tools, systems and processes - and invests significant resources - to prevent, monitor and remove inappropriate content from our app,” Tinder said in a statement.
“At the same time, we are constantly evaluating and refining our processes, and will always work with regulators and law enforcement, where possible, to protect our members.”
“We welcome the opportunity to discuss our product and moderation efforts with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and look forward to a meaningful conversation,” the dating app added.
Data from analytics firm Sensor Tower quoted by Reuters shows Tinder has been downloaded more than 440,000 times in Pakistan within the last 12 months. Grindr, Tagged and SayHi had each been downloaded about 300,000 times and Skout 100,000 times in that same period.
Critics say Pakistan, using recent digital legislation, has sought to rein in free expression on the internet, blocking or ordering the removal of content deemed immoral as well as critical of the state.
On Tuesday, PTA said keeping in view the “negative effects” of immoral and indecent content streaming through the five applications, the regulator had issued notices to the management of the platforms to remove the dating services and moderate live streaming content in accordance with the local laws of Pakistan.
The platforms, PTA said, did not respond to the notices within the stipulated time, forcing the regulator to block them.
However, PTA said it would reconsider the ban if the companies assured adherence to local laws “with respect to moderating the indecent/immoral content through meaningful engagement.”
Last week, PTA asked YouTube to “immediately” block content deemed “vulgar” and “indecent” by Pakistani authorities, although it did not state what actions it would take if the video-sharing platform did not comply.
Youtube remained banned in Pakistan for three years until January 2016 when the block was lifted after the Google-owned website launched a local version that allows the government to demand removal of material it considers offensive.
Pakistan banned access to YouTube in September 2012 after an anti-Islam film was uploaded to the site, sparking violent protests across major cities in the Muslim-majority country of 220 million people.
On July 21, PTA said it had banned the Singaporean live-streaming app Bigo over “immoral, obscene and vulgar content” and issued a last warning to Chinese video sharing platform Tiktok for “similar” reasons.
The hugely popular online game PUBG also remained banned in Pakistan through July. The ban was lifted on August 1, the PTA said, after ‘positive’ meetings with PUBG representatives. The ban on Bigo was also lifted after the company assured Pakistani authorities it was “committed to moderate immoral and indecent content in accordance with Pakistani laws.”
Tinder says wants ‘meaningful conversation’ with Pakistan as regulator blocks five dating apps
https://arab.news/8bqx3
Tinder says wants ‘meaningful conversation’ with Pakistan as regulator blocks five dating apps
- Tinder, Tagged, Skout, Grinder and SayHi banned by telecoms regulator for disseminating “immoral content”
- Critics say Pakistan is using recent digital legislation to rein in free expression on the internet
Pakistan urges Afghan rulers to ‘rid their soil of terrorists’ at regional meeting in Tehran
- Iran hosts meeting of special representatives on Afghanistan from Pakistan, China, Russia, Central Asian countries
- Pakistan alleges militants use Afghan soil to launch attacks against it, charges the Afghan Taliban deny repeatedly
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq urged rulers in Kabul on Sunday to rid their soil of “terrorists,” saying the move would inspire confidence in its neighbors to engage with the country.
Sadiq, who is Pakistan’s special representative to Afghanistan, was part of a high-level meeting hosted by Iran in Tehran to discuss issues related to Afghanistan. The meeting featured Afghan affairs representatives from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China and Russia, Iranian state news agency IRNA said.
Pakistan blames a surge in attacks on its soil on militants it says are based in Afghanistan, a charge Kabul denies. The allegations have caused tensions between the neighbors to rise, resulting in deadly border clashes in October that saw dozens of soldiers killed on both sides.
“It is imperative that the current de facto rulers [in Afghanistan] take steps to ameliorate their suffering,” Sadiq wrote on social media platform X.
“And the foremost step in this regard would be to rid their soil indiscriminately of all types of terrorists.”
Sadiq said he agreed with other participating countries during the meeting that the “threat of terrorism” originating from Afghanistan’s soil is a “big challenge” for the region.
“Also made this point that only an Afghanistan that does not harbor terrorists will inspire confidence in the neighboring and regional countries to meaningfully engage with Afghanistan, helping to realize the country’s immense economic and connectivity potential,” he concluded.
Officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan engaged in three rounds of peace talks in Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia since the October clashes but were unable to reach an agreement.
While Pakistan has vowed it would go after militants in Afghanistan that threaten it, Kabul has said it would retaliate to any act of aggression from Islamabad.
