Islamabad: Experts state that the disruption of social media usage has economic consequences and can worsen disinformation. They discuss the government’s decision to block access to the social media platform X since February 17, amidst ongoing allegations of election rigging following the February 8 general elections.
Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks based in the UK, estimates that the X Blocked In Pakistan could significantly impact the region’s economy, potentially costing millions of dollars.
The disruption to X in Pakistan could cost the region around $50 million, based on their COST outage disruption impact estimator, considering lost productivity and missed business and investment opportunities.
Toker stated in a statement sent to Anadolu
The ban originated after an elections officer in Rawalpindi, Liaqat Ali Chattha, publicly claimed to have allegedly tampered with election results in his area, which quickly gained traction on social media.
Both the government and the Pakistan Election Commission have denied any wrongdoing in the elections. However, the services are yet to be restored.
“Metrics indicate X Blocked in Pakistan remains for the tenth consecutive day, as the nation joins a select group of countries that have implemented extended or permanent bans on international social media platforms,” noted Internet monitor NetBlocks on February 26.
The disruption and blockade of internet and social media platforms in Pakistan
According to digital rights advocates, Pakistan has witnessed multiple disruptions in internet access, occurring five times within the past two months, including during the pivotal election day on February 8.
Sadaf Khan, a vocal campaigner for digital rights, highlighted the unusual silence from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding the ongoing outage of social media platforms such as Twitter and X. She noted, “Normally, the PTA issues statements explaining the reasons for blocking social media platforms. However, this time, there has been no official communication regarding the cause of the outage or when normal service will resume.”
Khan expressed concern over the lack of transparency, stating, “This situation only adds to the prevailing uncertainty, eroding public trust in the government and its institutions.”
Despite repeated inquiries, both the PTA and the Ministry of Information Technology have refrained from providing any official comment on X Blocked in Pakistan. Similarly, the Ministry of Interior has not responded to requests for clarification.
Impact on Economic losses
The suspension of internet and social media platform services by Pakistani authorities is not a new occurrence. In the past year alone, there have been four instances of disruptions to internet and broadband services, leading to substantial losses for the South Asian nation.
One notable incident occurred last May when internet and social media services were suspended following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The resultant violent protests caused a staggering loss of $30 to $35 million to the IT sector in just one week, as reported by the Pakistan Software House Association.
Data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) indicates that there are approximately 190 million mobile cellular subscribers and 129 million mobile broadband subscribers in the country, encompassing around 230 million individuals.
Furthermore, the PTA reports that 49.08% of the population are broadband internet users, totaling 108 million subscribers. Overall, internet penetration in Pakistan stands at around 52%, contributing to a notable surge in the IT sector’s exports, which saw a remarkable 47% increase during the 2020-21 fiscal year.
The growing prominence of e-commerce in Pakistan is underscored by Amazon’s recent addition of the country to its sellers list, allowing local businesses to access the global e-commerce platform.
However, experts caution that the suspension of internet and social media platforms results in significant economic losses, particularly as many individuals rely on these platforms for online businesses.
“Although X isn’t the most popular social media platform in Pakistan, it holds considerable influence, especially within the media and information technology sectors. It serves as a primary avenue for reaching an international audience,”
Alp Toker, founder of NetBlocks
Toker further warned that such restrictions and telecom blackouts on election day would likely raise concerns among investors, serving as a “red flag” for potential investment.
Social Media Restrictions: Impacts on Users, Businesses, and Journalists in Pakistan
The constraints imposed on social media platforms have far-reaching implications, affecting not only their users but also the owners of both small and large online enterprises. Additionally, these restrictions pose significant challenges for journalists, hindering their ability to access timely information.
Journalist Zahid Shah, based in Islamabad, underscored the critical role of social media platforms as primary sources of information for both users and journalists. He emphasized that many institutions, government ministers, officials, politicians, and others regularly share statements and updates on these platforms. Shah expressed concern about the government’s blocking of access to these platforms, questioning how journalists can obtain authentic information under such circumstances.
A senior official from the Ministry of Information Technology echoed Shah’s concerns, affirming that the government does not seek to shut down the internet or social media platforms in the country. However, the official acknowledged that such measures are sometimes taken due to security concerns, despite the potential damage to the country’s reputation and economic losses.
Digital rights activists warn that the absence of reliable information resulting from these actions creates a void that can easily be exploited by misinformation. Sadaf Khan highlighted the detrimental effects of this situation, emphasizing the erosion of the information ecosystem and the consequent rise in mistrust towards the government. She emphasized that such instability and uncertainty are detrimental to any society or democratic system.
Source: Anadolu
