X is The Least Likely to Block Content if Reported by PTA: Report

X (formerly Twitter) exhibited the lowest rate of blocking objectionable and unlawful content among major social media platforms, according to a document from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Between January 2021 and June 2024, PTA processed 69,372 URLs to X, but the platform only blocked 41,414 URLs, resulting in a compliance rate of 59.70 percent.

In contrast, TikTok emerged as the platform with the highest compliance rate, blocking 107,003 out of 109,359 URLs, which translates to a compliance rate of 97.85 percent. This positions TikTok far ahead of other major platforms in adhering to the PTA’s content-blocking requests. The content flagged by the PTA spans various categories, including defamatory, immoral, anti-Islamic, anti-security and defense, sectarian, and contempt of court.

A recent report from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reveals significant disparities in how social media platforms handle requests to block objectionable and unlawful content. The data, covering the period from January 2021 to June 2024, shows that X (formerly known as Twitter) had the lowest compliance rate, blocking only 59.70% of the URLs processed by the PTA. Out of 69,372 URLs sent to X for blocking, only 41,414 were actually blocked.

In stark contrast, TikTok emerged as the platform with the highest compliance rate, blocking 107,003 out of 109,359 URLs, which translates to a compliance rate of 97.85 percent. This positions TikTok far ahead of other major platforms in adhering to the PTA’s content-blocking requests. The content flagged by the PTA spans various categories, including defamatory, immoral, anti-Islamic, anti-security and defense, sectarian, and contempt of court.

Facebook also demonstrated a strong compliance rate, blocking 79,904 out of 94,141 URLs, achieving a compliance rate of 84.88%. Instagram followed closely with a compliance rate of 85.60%, having blocked 18,260 out of 21,333 URLs. These figures indicate that while not at the top, these platforms still show considerable adherence to the PTA’s requests.

YouTube and Likee also showed high compliance rates. YouTube blocked 36,351 out of 41,954 URLs, resulting in a compliance rate of 86.64 percent. Likee was close behind, blocking 5,530 out of 5,760 URLs, achieving a compliance rate of 96.01%. These numbers reflect these platforms’ significant efforts in addressing the PTA’s concerns over objectionable content.

Dailymotion and SnackVideo had lower but notable compliance rates. Dailymotion blocked 23 out of 32 URLs, translating to a compliance rate of 71.88 percent. SnackVideo, meanwhile, blocked 6,829 out of 7,241 URLs, resulting in a compliance rate of 94.31 percent.