The Digital Rights Foundation has reported a sharp rise in digital threats and online harassment targeting vulnerable communities in Pakistan, with more than 5,000 new cases recorded between May 2024 and December 2025.
According to the organization’s latest analysis, its Digital Security Helpline documented 5,041 new complaints during the period. Reported cases increased from 2,029 in 2024 to 3,012 in 2025, reflecting what the organization described as a rapidly worsening online security environment.
The report found that women and transgender women faced disproportionately high levels of sexualized abuse, reputational attacks, and coercive online behavior.
Hacking emerged as the most reported complaint within this group with 531 cases, followed closely by image based abuse and deepfake related incidents at 514 cases. Blackmail accounted for 500 cases, while threats totaled 491 incidents.
Additional complaints included financial fraud, social engineering attacks, sextortion, and non consensual circulation of intimate images. The report said these forms of abuse often function as tools of intimidation and social control, particularly against marginalized individuals.
In contrast, men were more frequently targeted through financially motivated and technically driven crimes. Financial fraud topped complaints among male victims with 732 reported cases, followed by hacking and social engineering attacks. The report noted that while men also faced image based abuse and defamation, the scale remained significantly lower than among women and transgender users.
The Digital Rights Foundation warned that the impact of these attacks extends beyond immediate financial or reputational damage. According to the report, many journalists, activists, and at risk individuals increasingly resort to self censorship, content deletion, or withdrawal from digital spaces in order to protect their safety and professional credibility.
The report described this phenomenon as an “evidence paradox,” where the most severe forms of online harassment often leave limited public traces because victims are pushed offline or forced into private communication channels.
The analysis also highlighted structural barriers that make digital protection difficult for vulnerable users. Many individuals rely on unstable or free security tools because they cannot afford premium VPNs, password managers, or advanced digital safety services.
The report further criticized social media platform reporting systems, describing them as slow, exhausting, and lacking local context. Survivors often face reporting fatigue due to delayed responses and inconsistent moderation decisions.
The Digital Rights Foundation called for urgent reforms, including gender sensitive training for the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and stronger safeguards by technology platforms to limit the viral spread of harmful content during investigations.
The organization also urged state institutions and international actors to adopt survivor centered digital safety frameworks.
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