Government Cannot Control Social Media by Force or Ban

“Knowledge is power, and for centuries, leaders have sought to control the flow of information to maintain their rule. Today, the internet plays a crucial role in this strategy, with governments employing various methods, such as content filtering and blocking, to manage online information.

Since January 2017, global social media usage has increased by 13%, with Saudi Arabia seeing the highest year-on-year rise at 32%, surpassing the global average by 17%. As of 2018, the number of internet users worldwide stands at 4.021 billion, while social media users total 3.196 billion. Additionally, there are 5.135 billion mobile phone users globally. According to Statista’s compilation using data from the Global Web Index panel (October 2018), Facebook remains the most popular social network with over 2 billion active users, followed by YouTube with 1.9 billion, WhatsApp with 1.5 billion, Facebook Messenger with 1.3 billion, and Twitter with 335 million.

In China, local social media platforms dominate the market, shielded from the influence of major Western social media. Governments in China, Iran, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf are intensifying efforts to limit access to encrypted virtual private networks (VPNs) and messaging apps like Telegram to curb dissent. Similarly, Turkey and Russia have been effective in compelling internet service providers to swiftly remove content deemed offensive, while Uganda recently introduced a tax on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, purportedly to reduce usage.

It is in the interest of every nation to protect the integrity of the internet, ensuring it serves as a tool for development rather than destruction. As social media continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to establish standards that serve the public good. Pakistan should consider developing its own applications to prevent the spread of fake news and hate speech, with full control over these platforms. Ultimately, the best defense against fake news and bots is the rationality of the human mind.”