Karachi:
TikTok was operating once more in Pakistan Saturday soon after a provincial court lifted suspension of the preferred social media service but ordered it to address complaints that it hosted objectionable content.
The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) blocked access Thursday for a third time soon after a ruling by a Sindh court hearing a private citizen’s petition against the Chinese-owned app.
Freedom of speech advocates have lengthy criticised creeping government censorship and handle of Pakistan’s net and media.
TikTok’s suspension was slammed by the video sharing platform’s big fan base in Pakistan, several of whom use it to marketplace and sell goods on-line. But its critics in the deeply conservative Muslim nation say it promotes vulgarity and LGBTQ content.
TikTok has been shut down twice ahead of in Pakistan due to the fact of alleged “indecent” videos — most lately in March, soon after which the platform pledged greater moderation.
It stated Wednesday it had removed more than six million videos from its Pakistan service in the previous 3 months alone — about 15 % featuring “adult nudity and sexual activities”.
A PTA official told AFP the court had Friday revoked its earlier order banning the app, and customers confirmed it was operating once more.
Still, even senior Pakistan officials appeared confused by the to- and fro-ing.
“I am baffled after reading… verdict on suspension of TikTok,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.
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