A US Think-tank, Freedom House, released their report detailing the decline of online rights across the world for the 11 consecutive years. Blocking internet access, carrying out content surveillance and enacting laws that restrict access to certain platforms seems to be a practice common across 20 countries that the report problematised–Pakistan being one of them. For the sake of protecting cyber freedom and liberty, the government must reconsider some of its policing strategies on the internet.

From the threats of banning TikTok to proposing the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content Rules, internet regulations seem to have crossed the point of being merely protective for users. Demands made by the government entail for social media platforms and internet companies to provide decrypted and readable copies of personal data of their users when the Federal Investigation Agency asks for it. This means that the end-to-end encryption laws promised by these platforms are violated and the average user cannot be confident in the fact that their personal information will be kept secure. This is a gross violation of operational norms and practices that must be corrected immediately, as urged by the Freedom on the Net report as well.

Strict surveillance of content on the internet is also an issue that must be addressed and rectified. More often than not, users are subjected to attacks and penalisation by regulatory bodies because the content they upload does not fit ambiguous notions like morality or acceptability.

This effectively curbs any right to expression that the people are entitled to. We have made leaps in the field of technology and the internet in recent times; now, we must focus on bringing ourselves up to date with the more contemporary debates and issues, guaranteeing the freedoms that they bring along with them. Otherwise, we are depriving our population from availing diverse opportunities that may help them financially, socially and intellectually.