Should TikTok be banned in Pakistan?-I

Meher Azeem Hakro
TikTok is a social media application owned by ByteDance, a China-based internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. It is used to create short dance, lip-sync songs, re-enact movie scenes, joke and talent videos. The application also allows users to gain followers and receive likes. It started first fully in china market in September 2016. Later, TikTok was launched in 2017 for iOS and Android in most markets outside of China. It is now available worldwide, including the United States and Europe.
The video sharing app has attracted a lot of new users and especially teenagers who use the platform to express their activity and increase popularity. The video sharing app has a devastating result on the youth of Pakistan as it not only wastes time and money but also spreads pornography on social media for the sake of fame and ranking. On the other hand, children education is being severely affected because teenagers spend all day making videos for tiktok to become actors, which affect their education and other abilities. The app is currently facing charges of spying and collecting users private information
on behalf of the Chinese government, which has led to temporary and permanent bans in countries around the world. There are many countries that have banned TikTok and some are thinking of it. Therefore TikTok is going through very difficult situation. Even so, the popularity of TikTok is not diminishing. Recently, US Secretary of State announced that the government is seriously considering banning TikTok, as US think tanks believe it posed a threat to US national security. TikTok was temporarily blocked in Indonesia amid public concern about illegal content such as pornography, inappropriate material and blasphemy. Shortly afterwards, a number of changes were made, including the removal of negative content by tiktok, and the ban was later lifted. The Bangladeshi government
blocked it when it saw the spread of nudity and gambling in the country. The same app was also banned in Malaysia on obscene and inappropriate material and its use for mocking people. The Indian government has permanently banned TikTok. The Indian government claims that the TikTok app collects information from people phones illegally and secretly when downloading applications. However, the TikTok Company claims that the data is not available in China and is secure outside of China. The Tiktok Company has never shared any country’s information with the Chinese government but these are mere
speculations. The growing popularity of TikTok among children is causing more anxiety amongparents as children are inclining to pornographic material, which sexual predators can target child users. In addition, social media experts have also pointed out the severe psychological effects on children and adolescents. Pakistan is an Islamic state and its duty is to strictly prevent obscenity and pornography in the country and to provide a healthy environment in the country where people can live their lives in an
Islamic way. It is also a clear violation of Articles 2 and37 of the Constitution of Pakistan which strongly condemns evil and obscene practices.This TikTok is harming our culture and traditions; on the other hand children arebecoming prone to inappropriate activities which are having a severe adverse effect ontheir education and ethics. Countless children are committing suicide; in addition, theyare blackmailed by predators. TikTok is a complete evil and vicious trap in which youthis constantly being trapped.TikTok is also becoming a source of negative social impact, waste of time,energy, money, promoting immoral activities and harassment. Many videos on the appshow racism, pedophilia and disrespect towards
women as well as our national heroesor religious figures are humiliated by imitation. As everyone has access to smart phonesand internet , so this app is adversely affecting young girls and boys who are spendingmost of their time on app rather than on their studies. Therefore, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) should immediately impose a permanent ban on the use of TikTok in Pakistan.