What is Pakistan National Firewall, and how will this impact social media?

The Pakistani government is implementing stricter measures to manage social media with the introduction of a National Firewall, a move that has sparked mixed reactions.

According to information from multiple sources, this new measure aims to block undesirable content from reaching a wider audience by installing a national firewall across various internet service providers. The government intends to exert greater control over social media platforms through this firewall.

The installation and commissioning of the firewall are currently underway. Previously, similar technologies were used by the government to block websites and social media apps. The new firewall will inspect information from various internet protocol addresses.

The primary purpose of the Pakistan National Firewall is to identify sources of propaganda material and block or limit the visibility of those sources. Government sources suggest that the main focus will be on locating the source of such propaganda to prevent it at its origin.

A keyword filtering system will be implemented to detect content deemed undesirable or a threat to national security, potentially hiding such content from external users.

One of the leading social media platforms, formerly known as Twitter, is already limited in Pakistan, with rights activist groups calling for its unblocking. While many details about the firewall remain unknown, it is understood that the filtering system will apply to platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.