Facebook Banned in Pakistan- Yuan Qi [102830Y]

Just like anywhere else in the world, in Pakistan, Facebook is home to its local celebrities, small and famous – including former President Pervez Musharraf who has used it as a platform to reach out to his supporters to further his political propaganda. The whole country is addicted to Facebook which has spawned a culture of its own, with fashion designers and aspiring artists using the social networking platform as a marketing tool, even tagging pictures as a full time activity.

But all these has come to an end, until May 31, at least. The Pakistan High Court has ordered Facebook to be banned over the outrage of a Facebook page called “Everybody Draw Mohammad Day”. The page started as a good natured jibe to the religious extremist group in the country. It has created a large fan-base with numerous submissions of their holy prophet drawn in various forms of art all in good humor. However this act of drawing their most holy prophet in wild sketches and cartoons was still seen as a blasphemy by many, but Facebook has turned a deaf ear to their protests. This has then prompted the government to act.

What has gone wrong? Looking deeper into the issue, we are seeing how technology has changed our way of living. In the past, we have only one real life – a life where we talk with our friends and gossip about the latest happenings over a cup of tea. Many now also have a second life – a virtual life where we live on online platforms connected to thousands and millions of other people. In this virtual world which offers a choice of anonymity to its netizen, some have been living recklessly without any thoughts on the consequences of their actions.

The virtual world created by Facebook has allowed many to enjoy the freedom of expression, but what if this privilege is being abused - knowingly or unknowingly? We have grown more tolerant of crude languages and pictures of people being posted nude online, but what if the picture that we see is a schematic diagram of a bio-chemical bomb, with the step-by-step guide to make one in your backyard? Facebook have to realize that they are not just a corporation whose main aim is to make money. As a provider of the massive networking platform where millions meet each day, they have to also ensure adequate check and balances are in place so that people do not abuse their freedom online. Every country has its police force to ensure law and order so that its citizens can live without fear of getting harmed. Likewise, Facebook as an online nation have to also enforce its guidelines to ensure any errant behavior is being corrected before it explodes into something tragic.

Other than Facebook, everybody has to do their part too. People need to respect cultures and religions and be sensitive over the contents that they share. Saying someone is as stupid as a cow may be funny among the Chinese, but it becomes an insult when spoken in front of a Hindu. Also we need to learn to abide by rules and guidelines. People need to understand that rules are there not to restrict our freedom, but is there to ensure that our freedom gets protected. Ultimately, there can be no freedom without rules.

Done by Yuan Qi [102830Y]