A significant slowdown in internet speeds across Pakistan is disrupting the work of freelancers, particularly those using online marketplace platforms like Fiverr. The disruptions come amid concerns over the government's recent installation of a national firewall to curb disinformation and "digital terrorism," which many suspect is aimed at controlling social media and censorship. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) claims the slow speed of the internet is caused by other factors, and not surveillance attempts. On Thursday, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology took note of the network and internet disruption, highlighting the impact on local businesses. The Pakistan Association for Software Houses (P@SHA) has issued a statement warning that the country's economy could lose up to $300 million if the national firewall is imposed.
Meanwhile, Fiverr has temporarily suspended the accounts of some Pakistani users to protect their ratings from being negatively impacted by delays caused by the internet issues. While some freelancers received notifications from Fiverr about the suspension of their gigs, others did not, indicating that the platform’s actions may vary by region.
Farieha Aziz, co-founder of the internet advocacy platform BoloBhi, criticized the government's investment in network filtering and restrictive digital policies, emphasizing the need for improvements in internet infrastructure rather than further regulation.
This has nothing to do with digital security, just digital control. Old noonie agenda coupled with eagerness to carry out master's directives. Nothing more. What political govts initiate & partake in comes back to bite them eventually but no lessons learnt https://t.co/h2PLCpnGTk
— Farieha Aziz (@FariehaAziz) August 15, 2024
Social activists and legal experts, including Jibran Nasir and Nighat Dad have also voiced concerns about the slow and unstable internet and the partial suspension of social media platforms, which they argue is exacerbating the issue for users and businesses alike.
"The disruption has now extended beyond X, affecting other widely used apps along with the internet.
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) August 14, 2024
Ironically, since the February 2024 election, the new government has emphasised the need to grow the tech industry in Pakistan." https://t.co/0Ukb8IHmhL
https://x.com/nighatdad/status/1822245077038555397