• Why Jihad Watch?
  • About Robert Spencer and Staff Writers
  • FAQ
  • Books
  • Muhammad
  • Islam 101
  • Privacy

Jihad Watch

Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Google, Facebook and Twitter threaten to leave Pakistan over crackdown on speech offensive to Islam

Nov 26, 2020 3:00 pm By Christine Douglass-Williams 26 Comments

The Asia Internet Coalition — which includes Google, Facebook and Twitter — is threatening to pull out of Pakistan because of new rules that would have a significant impact upon the freedom of expression. How bitterly ironic. The global tech giants, long established as enemies of the freedom of expression, are now facing the same pressures with which they have tormented users in America (and other Western countries).

Social media companies or Internet service providers will face up to $3,140,000 in fines “for failure to curb the sharing of content deemed to be defamatory of Islam,” among other “offences.” So while they were protecting Islam in the West, they, too, have now come up against the Sharia, and this enrages them to the extent that they now want to leave Pakistan.

“There was no immediate comment from Khan’s government, which has repeatedly said it was not against freedom of expression,” a claim which everyone knows is absurd. From the moment Imran Khan became Prime Minister of Pakistan, he has been on a quest to destroy the freedom of speech worldwide, vowing first in August 2018 to go to the UN to stop all Muhammad cartoons. His own country enforces Islamic blasphemy laws that he aims to see exported worldwide.

More recently, Khan renewed his call on Muslim countries to “act together against Islamophobia” in the face of French president Macron’s defense of free speech, after the French schoolteacher Samuel Paty was beheaded for showing his pupils Muhammad cartoons.

“Global tech giants threaten to leave Pakistan over new rules,” Associated Press, November 22, 2020:

Islamabad – Internet and technology companies have threatened to leave Pakistan after the government granted blanket powers to authorities to censor digital content, a move critics say was aimed at curtailing freedom of expression in the conservative Islamic nation.

Thursday’s warning from the Asia Internet Coalition, which represents global technology giants including Google, Facebook and Twitter, comes after the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan granted enhanced powers to government media regulators Wednesday.

The coalition said it was “alarmed by the scope of Pakistan’s new law targeting internet companies, as well as the government’s opaque process by which these rules were developed.”

Under the new regulations, social media companies or internet service providers face a fine of up to $3.14 million for failure to curb the sharing of content deemed to be defamatory of Islam, promoting terrorism, hate speech, pornography or any content viewed as endangering national security.

Social media companies are required to provide Pakistan’s designated investigation agency “with any information or data in decrypted, readable and comprehensible format,” according to Pakistan’s DAWN newspaper. Pakistan also wants the social media companies to have their offices in the country.

The coalition said the “draconian data localization requirements will damage the ability of people to access a free and open internet and shut Pakistan’s digital economy off from the rest of the world.” It said the new rules will make it difficult for its members “to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses.”

There was no immediate comment from Khan’s government, which has repeatedly said it was not against freedom of expression.

Khan’s office had previously said the new rules were made after observing a delayed response in the removal of anti-Pakistan, obscene and sectarian-related content by social media sites since 2018, when Khan’s government came into power.

Under the new regulations, social media companies are required to remove or block any unlawful content from their websites within 24 hours after being reported by Pakistani authorities….

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Follow me on Facebook

Filed Under: blasphemy, Featured, free speech, Internet jihad, Islamic supremacism, Pakistan Tagged With: Asia Internet Coalition, Facebook, Google, Imran Khan, Twitter


Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Comments

  1. Mount Zion says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    Khan is a fox and Islam is his den.

    Reply
    • mortimer says

      Nov 26, 2020 at 8:55 pm

      Yep … Pakistan is one of the most fanatical Islamic countries. It’s ‘Berzerkistan’.

      Reply
  2. terry sullivan says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    uk must treat pakistan as an enemy

    stop all aid

    block pakistanis from settling here

    deport those from uk that are a problem

    Reply
    • Ade Fegan says

      Nov 26, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      I know what that feels like … Preaching to the choir … because nobody else ever listens

      Reply
    • Raja says

      Nov 26, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Long overdue. Pakistan a terrorist state always for jihad never at peace with civilized world including UK.. If UK still wants to engage with this evil empire, it is giving its tacit approval to every evil that Pakistan perpetrates on her own citizen.

      Reply
      • Ingrid Barth says

        Nov 26, 2020 at 6:35 pm

        So true, and now these giants have to face the same shit against freedom of speech, as they´ve done it to their users.

        Seems as if karma works qickly, lol ! 😀

        As long as moslem states are not willing to accept all human rights,also for so-called infidels-as long should Europe never let them in or take care about them. We have to pütotect our peopüle first,of course.

        Hopefully facebook and others will accept freedom of speech now.

        Reply
    • gravenimage says

      Nov 26, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      Trump cut aid to Pakistan because of enabling Jihad–but all this will likely be restored under Biden.

      Reply
    • John says

      Nov 27, 2020 at 12:38 am

      UK must treat all of islam as the Enemy.

      Reply
  3. jca reid says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Doubt it. Google has removed me from “Facebook” for exactly this: criticising Islam. They’re also trying to deplatform & demonitise, in UK, critics of Islam who post their video clips. Furthermore, they also go after folk who are anti EU, (i.e. pro BREXIT), & pro Trump.

    Reply
    • Ingrid Barth says

      Nov 26, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      Same here, I am so angry about it and I won´t get back to facebook as long as Zuckerberg is not able to accept our basic rights: the freedom of speech. When I am allowed to critisize our protestant church, I am also allowed to critisize islam. There is no law -anywhere-that forbids to critisize any religion !

      Zuckerberg must be completely mad, our laws are mad, how could they crawl on the ground in front of these fanatical jihadists? They are traitors. They won´t respect our basic rights or the people of Europe nor their users. . Our freedom is the highest law and right.

      Facebook is stoneaged in front of my eyes, and I hate that so much. The fanatic moslem users there even threaten me – as a german woman — to behead me, or to rape me and nothing happens to stop them, but whenever I critisize this violence, they throw me out? And punish me, for what?

      Terrible, You really can feel like burnt as it happened to Jeanne d`Arc in public, this is so midaged nowadays.

      Shame on Mark Zuckerberg. It´s injustice and this is bigger than any nazi, as they always shout at me with their silly lies and bad propaganda. How can they collaborate weith these violent human despiting stoneaged jihadists?

      We are living in very dark times again….and .it´s like war against european people and our freedom.

      Reply
    • Sue Stammers says

      Nov 27, 2020 at 7:08 am

      Ive had 3 laptops “DIE” on me in 4 yrs, because of silencing Freedom Of Speech, which we lost a decade ago.

      Reply
      • marc says

        Nov 27, 2020 at 9:32 am

        While there’s some very insidious censorship going on, there is no way they could be physically damaging hardware/laptops.

        Something else is going on, could be something like bad power supply, over heating, fluffy carpets etc.

        What did they “die” of?

        Reply
        • gravenimage says

          Nov 28, 2020 at 12:14 am

          +1

  4. revereridesagain says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    Interesting how many brain-dead, superstitious, irrational people have managed to pick up on the artificially created term “Islamophobia”, implying the opposition to the totalitarian ideology of Islam is a mental illness, instead of simply protesting “opposition to the holy necessity of being totally subjugated to Islam on penalty of beheading”. Shows you even the dumbest can learn when it is to their advantage.

    Reply
  5. Wellington says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Google, Facebook and Twitter.

    The Neville Chamberlains of our time.

    Most worrisome: Chamberlain finally realized in his last year of life or so how wrong he had been. Can’t say the same for the immensely rich but still profoundly foolish people who run modern media platforms which have done far more damage to freedom than Chamberlain ever did.

    Reply
  6. Brando says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    Guys,just today JAY SMITH made a video about the latest video by YASIR QADHI.

    Yasir Qadhi is a famous US Muslim intellectual who several months ago admitted the Traditional Muslim Narrative about the Koran “Has HOLES in IT”.

    CONFIRMED: THE KORAN HAS NOT BEEN PREFECTLY PRESERVED

    If a Muslim sees it, he sees Islam is False: because the Koran says there is an ETERNAL KORAN in HEAVEN,

    and the ones we have today are Perfect Copies.

    SCHOLAR DAN BRUBAKER

    1.Muslim ORTHODOXY and the Evidence say the EARLIEST copies of the Koran had NO VOWELS.

    2.But that ALL the CONSONANTS in ALL the EARLIEST COPIES are EXACTLY the SAME.

    3.That is the 100% Proof of the Perfect Preservation.

    DAN BRUBAKER has examined the earliest and discovered it is FALSE.

    YASIR QADHI’s VIDEO

    He overwhelmingly calls Jay Smith, David Wood and Daniel Brubaker people who have NO INTEGRITY,etc.

    Here is JAY SMITH’s video:

    “Jay the “UltraCrepidarian” Responds to Yasir Qadhi” ( 39 min )

    https://youtu.be/VOq29ZgvXOo

    Reply
  7. Brando says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    Here is the Original Video by YASIR QADHI:

    “Library Chats #10: Responding to Jay Smith & David Wood on the ‘Holes In the Narrative’ Controversy”

    https://youtu.be/kR34v-IIyeY

    Reply
  8. Westman says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 5:36 pm

    Pakistan may throw tantrums yet knows well that any physical battle with the West would be lost. It is hopelessly uncompetitive in the modern world and looking for a way to shield its Muslims from even the fair criticism that ensues when the West reads its barbaric “holy” books and views the mahem of their most ardent believers.

    Maybe the tech giants will “man up” and sever the links to Pakistan. Nothing could send a clearer message that Pakistan is an isolate badger with no teeth. Let China provide them with the social media and China’s intrusive surveillance to measure, “good citizenry”, while implementing the BRI.

    Reply
  9. Infidel Pride says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    The thing that surprised me in this story was Google, Facebook and Twitter objecting to Pakistan’s rules, since they all do censor ‘Islamophobic’ content I recall somebody’s tweet being blocked b’cos they violate Pakistani law – and that tweet was here in the US (I forget the person who got censored). I used to have a Twitter account, which was suspended for a tweet in which I used the term ‘rapefugee’ for Muslim refugees in Europe who routinely raped local women. I returned months later, deleted the tweet and also found that most of the people I followed and who followed me were banned, so I just went ahead and deleted my account. Now I’m there on both Parler and Gab

    Social media companies like Google and Facebook may live in the delusion that they can be truly global companies and operate everywhere under the same rules. Wrong! They have to live by Chinese and Islamic rules if they wanna operate in those countries, and they’ll find themselves strongly opposed if they try to import those rules here!

    My only criticism of every critic of social media: shut down your mainstream Twitter/Facebook accounts and move to Parler/Gab, or just participate in discussions on websites you follow. That’s what I do – mainly here and Breitbart, as well as on Parler

    Reply
    • Raja says

      Nov 27, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Infidel, thanks for your tips…I barely use Facebook, twitter. I hate Zuckerberg for his bias against conservatives. I will be happy if he or his company is desisted from all the injustice he perpetrates 24×7

      Reply
  10. mortimer says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 8:59 pm

    The Asia Internet Coalition — which includes Google, Facebook and Twitter — has to decide how much censorship they are willing to endorse. They readily censor non-politically correct or conservative messages.

    They banning people who criticized Islam, but this demand from Pakistan is now all about Sharia-inspired censorship.

    Google, Facebook and Twitter seem to have decided they will continue to censor and ban dissent from their ideas, but they will not submit to Sharia blasphemy laws.

    The Muslim fanatics will have to go after Google, Facebook and Twitter to soften up their resistance to submission.

    Reply
  11. gravenimage says

    Nov 26, 2020 at 10:08 pm

    Google, Facebook and Twitter threaten to leave Pakistan over crackdown on speech offensive to Islam
    ………….

    But haven’t all these companies been working hand-in-glove with Islam to do just this? I *wish* I could see this as a turning point for them…

    Reply
  12. eduardo odraude says

    Nov 27, 2020 at 1:17 am

    You see, Islam-criticism is penetrating from around the world even into the heart of Pakistan, and the Islamic leadership there senses on some level that the transmission of the truth about Muhammad is destroying Islam’s credibility from within. Islam-criticism and the technological projection of liberal democratic culture around the globe are having sufficient effect to begin to shift the ground under the Islamic world. That’s part of why Islamic leaders want to stifle and censor Islam-critical content. Of course they also want to censor it because their core texts tell them it’s blasphemous. But here and there as never before among Muslims sprout creeping inklings of doubt about what is up and what down, what sacred and what a sham, and consequently there is more apostasy from Islam than ever before in 1400 years. Islam will just collapse into nothing if adequately exposed to the light of uncensored discussion, criticism, and debate.

    Reply
  13. SamB says

    Nov 27, 2020 at 2:29 am

    Why fret over this ruling, Social media has always been in the same bed with Islam. Careful evaluation of their actions 2020 will show that Christian principles was never endearing to them. In fact, ensuring the integrity of Islam is always a priority. If I am reading the News\Social outlets correctly then the [Christian]founding principles of America is of ill consequence. This is further amplified by the amount invested by Muslim regimes [and China]. It is therefore anathema for these outlets to bite the hands that feeds it. Imran Khan is only asking what is reasonable…

    Reply
  14. Giacomo Latta says

    Nov 27, 2020 at 10:50 am

    Did Khan, a good muslim leader of a muslim nation, authorize Facebook, Google and Twitter to criticize him and his muslim nation? What blasphemy! Put a fatwa out on all of them, Khan.

    Reply
  15. OLD GUY says

    Nov 27, 2020 at 11:40 am

    Pakistan and Islam are the ENEMY. In a rational world all freedom loving people would avoid doing business with the enemy. However in a multi national corporation environment these companies will do business with anyone.
    The same can be said about politicians today who will accept funding from foreign supported local organizations that are diffidently enemies of state.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

FacebookYoutubeTwitterLog in

Subscribe to the Jihad Watch Daily Digest

You will receive a daily mailing containing links to the stories posted at Jihad Watch in the last 24 hours.
Enter your email address to subscribe.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!
If you are forwarding to a friend, please remove the unsubscribe buttons first, as they my accidentally click it.

Subscribe to all Jihad Watch posts

You will receive immediate notification.
Enter your email address to subscribe.
Note: This may be up to 15 emails a day.

Donate to JihadWatch
FrontPage Mag

Search Site

Translate

The Team

Robert Spencer in FrontPageMag
Robert Spencer in PJ Media

Articles at Jihad Watch by
Robert Spencer
Hugh Fitzgerald
Christine Douglass-Williams
Andrew Harrod
Jamie Glazov
Daniel Greenfield

Contact Us

Terror Attacks Since 9/11

Archives

  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2005
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2004
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2003
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • March

All Categories

You Might Like

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Recent Comments

  • revereridesagain on Erdogan: ‘Turks must defend the rights of Jerusalem, even with their lives’ for ‘the honor of the Islamic nation’
  • James Lincoln on Erdogan: ‘Turks must defend the rights of Jerusalem, even with their lives’ for ‘the honor of the Islamic nation’
  • Carol on Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and UAE conduct joint military exercises amid rising Turkish threat
  • James Lincoln on EU Parliament members call for firing of border agency director for preventing illegal migrants from entering Europe
  • Jayme on Canadian Mental Health Association studies Muslim women’s mental health due to ‘discrimination’ and ‘hate crimes’

Popular Categories

dhimmitude Sharia Jihad in the U.S ISIS / Islamic State / ISIL Iran Free Speech

Robert Spencer FaceBook Page

Robert Spencer Twitter

Robert Spencer twitter

Robert Spencer YouTube Channel

Books by Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch® is a registered trademark of Robert Spencer in the United States and/or other countries - Site Developed and Managed by Free Speech Defense

Content copyright Jihad Watch, Jihad Watch claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to their respective owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

Our mailing address is: David Horowitz Freedom Center, P.O. Box 55089, Sherman Oaks, CA 91499-1964

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.