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Pakistan mentioned on Tuesday it has blocked Tinder, Grindr and three different dating apps for not adhering to native legal guidelines, its newest transfer to curb on-line platforms deemed to be disseminating “immoral content”.
Pakistan, the second largest Muslim-majority nation on the earth after Indonesia, is an Islamic nation the place extra-marital relationships and homosexuality are unlawful.
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority mentioned it has despatched notices to the administration of the 5 apps, “keeping in view the negative effects of immoral/indecent content streaming.”
PTA mentioned the notices issued to Tinder, Grindr, Tagged, Skout and SayHi sought the removing of “dating services” and moderation of reside streaming content in accordance with native legal guidelines.
The corporations didn’t reply to the notices inside the stipulated time, the regulator added.
Tinder, Tagged, Skout and Grindr didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Reuters was unable to contact SayHi for remark.
Tinder, a globally well-liked dating app, is owned by Match Group
Grindr, which describes itself as a social networking and on-line dating software for LGBT folks, was cleared to be offered by a Chinese firm this 12 months to an investor group referred to as San Vicente Acquisition for $620 million.
Data from analytics agency Sensor Tower reveals Tinder has been downloaded more than 440,000 occasions in Pakistan inside the final 12 months. Grindr, Tagged and SayHi had every been downloaded about 300,000 occasions and Skout 100,000 occasions in that very same interval.
Critics say Pakistan, utilizing latest digital laws, has sought to rein in free expression on the web, blocking or ordering the removing of content deemed immoral in addition to information important of the federal government and army.
In July, Pakistan issued a “final warning” to short-form video app TikTok over express content posted on the platform, whereas reside streaming app Bigo Live was blocked for 10 days for a similar cause.
Pakistani authorities reiterated that concern to TikTok officers in a latest assembly.
Last week, PTA additionally requested video-sharing platform YouTube to “immediately block vulgar, indecent, immoral, nude and hate speech content for viewing in Pakistan”.
(Additional reporting by Umar Farooq in Islamabad; enhancing by Mark Heinrich)
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