TikTok says removed nearly 25 million videos in Pakistan during first quarter of 2025

In this photo illustration, the TikTok app is displayed on an iPhone screen on April 24, 2024 in Miami, US. (AFP/File)
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Updated 24 July 2025
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TikTok says removed nearly 25 million videos in Pakistan during first quarter of 2025

  • TikTok says 95.8% of these videos were removed within 24 hours of their posting
  • Pakistani authorities have banned video-sharing service several times since 2020

ISLAMABAD: Video-sharing platform TikTok said this week it removed nearly 25 million videos in Pakistan during the first quarter of 2025 for violating its community guidelines, underscoring its efforts to ensure a safe digital space for everyone. 

TikTok shared the information in its Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, which covers data from January to March 2025.

“In Q1 2025, TikTok removed a total of 24,954,128 videos in Pakistan,” the video-sharing platform said in a press release on Wednesday.

“Proactive removal rates in Pakistan remained high at 99.4%, with 95% of these videos removed within 24 hours.”

TikTok said globally it removed around 211 million videos worldwide during the quarter, which represents about 0.9% of all content uploaded to the platform.

The platform said that of the total globally removed videos, 184,378,987 were detected and taken down using automated detection technologies, while 7,525,184 videos were reinstated after further review.

“The report also indicates that a significant portion of total removed videos— 30.1%— contained sensitive or mature themes that did not align with TikTok’s content policies,” the statement said. 

The platform said that an additional 11.5% of the videos removed globally breached the platform’s safety and civility standards, while 15.6% violated privacy and security guidelines.

“Additionally, 45.5% of the removed videos were flagged as misinformation, and 13.8% of the videos removed were flagged as edited media and AI-generated content,” it added. 

This is not the first time that TikTok has removed videos from Pakistan. It took down millions of videos in Pakistan last year also for violating community guidelines.

In the past, Pakistani authorities have banned the video-sharing service several times, with the first ban instituted in October 2020 over what was described as widespread complaints about allegedly “immoral, obscene, and vulgar” content on the app.

The service has been prohibited from operating in the country thrice for more than 15 months since then. In November 2021, a Pakistani court finally reversed the ban after TikTok assured the government it would control the spread of objectionable content.


Pakistan pitches digital finance reforms to foreign fintech investors

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Pakistan pitches digital finance reforms to foreign fintech investors

  • Khurram Schehzad highlights progress on digital banking and plans for regulating blockchain and virtual assets
  • Visiting delegation welcomes policy clarity, sees scope for long-term investment and partnerships in Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday pitched its digital finance and fintech reforms to foreign investors as part of a broader effort to attract capital after macroeconomic stabilization, with a senior official highlighting progress on digital banking, payments infrastructure and regulatory overhaul.

The outreach came as Islamabad seeks to sustain reform momentum following a period of economic stress, positioning technology-led financial inclusion as a pillar of its recovery and growth strategy while courting international investors.

Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, briefed a delegation of international fintech investors on Pakistan’s reform agenda and digital growth plans at a meeting in federal capital, according to a statement from the finance ministry.

“Consistent policy implementation and structural reforms have strengthened macroeconomic fundamentals and improved Pakistan’s investment outlook,” he said, highlighting the “renewed global confidence” in the economy.

Officials said the discussions focused on the government’s Digital Pakistan Vision, including efforts to expand digital payments, build public digital infrastructure and digitize government transactions to widen financial inclusion and formalize the economy.

Schehzad cited the role of Raast, Pakistan’s instant payment system, which enables real-time, low-cost and interoperable digital payments nationwide, as well as regulatory reforms introduced by the State Bank of Pakistan to modernize retail digital banking.

Under the new framework, easypaisa Digital Bank has been operational for nearly a year, while Mashreq Digital Bank has also begun operations, with several other digital banks moving toward launch, the statement said.

The adviser also outlined Pakistan’s plans to develop a regulatory framework for blockchain, Web3.0 and virtual assets, saying authorities were engaging with global platforms to support innovation while ensuring compliance and investor protection.

The investor delegation was led by John Sfakianakis, chairman of Fintech Solutions Holding, alongside the company’s chief executive Kirill Smolin, and was facilitated by local technology firm Tech Avenue.

The investors welcomed the “clarity of reforms and policy direction,” saying Pakistan’s combination of macroeconomic stabilization, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies offered opportunities for long-term investment and strategic partnerships, the finance ministry said.