The trial run of a firewall in Pakistan has resulted in the slowing down of social media, causing concerns about the future of internet-based businesses in the country. The government allocated over Rs30 billion for the acquisition and installation of this filtering system, with the funds directed to the Ministry of Information Technology. However, the execution of this project is being done from another power center, leaving the Ministry’s role limited to a mere post office.
The objective of the firewall is to reduce the reach of social media influencers who are believed to be involved in spreading fake news by blocking their content or making it less visible. However, this move raises fears about the potential impact on internet-based businesses, which are already struggling to operate in a challenging environment.
Although officials say that internet-based businesses are not the target of the firewall, there are concerns about the potential impact on these businesses. The trial period is expected to last a few weeks, after which the internet traffic and speed are expected to return to normal.
The firewall is intended to enhance the security of PTA’s internal systems and will be used exclusively at PTA’s primary data center and its Disaster Recovery site. However, the tender for the acquisition of firewalls has raised questions about the transparency of the process and the potential for multiple filtering systems.
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