Minister warns social media platforms of enforcing 'Brazil-style rules'

• Minister cites 47 foreign accounts linked to terrorism.
• Barrister Aqeel Malik slams platforms' double standards.
• Islamabad demands AI tools for terrorism content deletion.
  

Pakistan on Thursday warned social media platforms to cooperate with the government on regulations or face measures similar to Brazil's strict enforcement model.

"The Brazil model includes blocking platforms and imposing fines," State Minister for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik said during a briefing to local and international journalists in Islamabad.

He said that the government could also consider approaching the International Court of Justice on the matter.

Barrister Malik's comments seemingly refer to a June 11 ruling by the Brazil Supreme Court, which held that social media companies must be held accountable for certain types of content published by users on their platforms.

Six of the 11 Supreme Court judges voted to hold platforms responsible for third-party content seen as illegal, in a decision that could result in fines against social media companies for not removing some users' posts in the country, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Barrister Malik criticised the platforms' inconsistent approach, saying that content related to Palestine was removed within 24 hours.

However, he said, a social media platform would not provide the IP addresses for terrorist accounts to the government.

For his part, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry recalled the July 24 warning, urging social media platforms to open offices in Pakistan.

The minister said that the government had warned that terrorists were freely using social media platforms.

"Some applications' responses are extremely weak," he said, adding that as many as 19 accounts, involved in terrorism, were being operated from India and 28 from Afghanistan.

Chaudhry reiterated Islamabad's demand that the social media platform open offices in the country.

The minister questioned the platforms' priorities, asking, "If content related to child pornography is being auto-deleted, why not content related to terrorism?"

He demanded AI-based technology to automatically delete accounts and content involved in terrorism.

Islamabad has recently intensified its crackdown on anti-state campaigns on social media, with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) playing a central role in identifying and prosecuting those involved.

According to official information, the NCCIA registered 356 FIRs across Pakistan against individuals accused of spreading anti-state propaganda online till September 13.

Additionally, as many as 789 enquiries were initiated to investigate suspects engaged in posting content targeting state institutions.