The plan to place curbs on social media has two dimensions. The first is the reason given out, that it is against terrorists. Terrorists have been around for some time, and they have always used social media. However, the authorities are now making this attempt. Interestingly, this is not the first attempt to bring social media under control. There have been previous attempts in the name of regulation and registration, cybercrimes and cyberbullying. Terrorism seems a good unifying factor which will allow control over social media. Another dimension is that of conflating terrorism with opposition to the government. This should have become obvious ever since the PTI’s attempt to carry out a sit-in 10 days ago. The PTI may or may not have any terrorist links. None have been alleged, let alone proven, in any court of law. However, it seems taken as a given in government circles that this is so, with the result that this piece of legislation is being seen as directed against the PTI, especially its keyboard warriors. It seems that lack of control over cyberspace is worrying for certain circles, because it means a loss of control over information, which is something that the state has generally controlled as far as possible. That this is a bureaucratic requirement rather than partisan is shown by the fact that these attempts were made under the PTI too, when it was in office.
This means that any step by the state must be scrutinized carefully to ensure that there is no abridgement of free speech. There must obviously not be any leeway for terrorist organizations, but the administration of such bans can be problematic. At the moment, the decision to shut down a website will be taken by some faceless bureaucrat in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Even before there is an appeal, there must be a proper review mechanism established.
The government must not fall into the trip of its predecessors. It should remember that it too will fall out of office one day, and it is then it will feel restrictions on freedoms the most.. Take the case of the PTI, which tried to regulate social media, but which is now finding that it is its last refuge. Clearly, it will not welcome the restrictions that are being placed on it now. The PML(N) too must not pass laws it will rue when in opposition..
