Use of internet and online safety

Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has declared that the PTA is committed to ensuring a safe online environment, particularly for the country’s youth and children. On the occasion of Safer Internet Day, the PTA Chairman told his countrymen that the PTA recognizes the critical role that the Internet plays in our lives. According to him, it is the collective responsibility of all to create a secure and protective digital space, allowing Pakistani users to continue their online activities in a safer environment.

The Internet has become an indispensable part of modern life, impacting nearly every aspect of society, economy, and culture. It provides us with a vast repository of knowledge and information, facilitates instant communication, enables e-commerce, allows businesses to reach a global market and consumers to shop conveniently from anywhere in the world. It breaks geographical barriers and connects people, spreads education, empowers individuals and societies, provides entertainment at all locations in the air, sea and land. The Internet offers numerous benefits, it also comes with several disadvantages and harmful effects such as cybersecurity threats, online fraud, addiction and distraction of children, misuse of social media, privacy concerns, cyberbullying, misinformation and propaganda etc.

In fact, online safety is a global issue, internet safety and provision of a conducive environment is a collective problem of the society, and the state. The Pakistani society has a traditional Islamic environment and upholds religious sentiments. Whereas uncontrolled flow of information, unrestricted access to western culture on social media has largely affected our youths and children while disturbing the whole environment/culture of the society.

There is a need for coordinated efforts and collaboration between the government and the masses to create a digital world that prioritizes the safety of every individual, protects social environment and facilitates constructive use of the internet by the users. Although PTA has much acknowledgement abroad, there is very little presence and public awareness about the role and task of the authority. An awareness campaign about disadvantages and misuse of the internet along with PTAs role and assistance in case of any risks/ fraud is crucial for users to navigate the online world safely and responsibly while reporting any abnormality or online hazard to the concerned authority in due course of time. So that our society mitigates online risks comfortably in the future.