Tackling digital terrorism: social media companies asked to share data

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday said that Pakistan has identified over 481 social media accounts operated by terrorist organisations under anonymous names, and called on global tech firms to cooperate in blocking these accounts.

“These accounts are linked to jet black terrorist organisations and not associated with any political party or parties’ workers”, he said while addressing the press conference along with Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik.

“These accounts are being run anonymously and using unverified identities. We are not opposing freedom of speech, but we must draw a line when it comes to terrorism and violent extremism,” he stated.

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Chaudhry emphasised that these organisations are sanctioned by the United Nations, United States, United Kingdom, and Pakistan. Referring to the National Action Plan (NAP), he said that preventing the spread of terrorist propaganda through media, including social media, remains a top priority.

While Pakistani authorities have successfully traced these accounts, Chaudhry said that action has been hindered by a lack of user data and the frequent re-emergence of “mirror accounts” – duplicates that appear after one is taken down.

He urged global social media platforms to not only block such accounts but also to implement AI-based systems capable of detecting and preventing the creation of mirror accounts. Additionally, he called for information sharing and transparency from tech companies to identify the individuals behind these networks. “We often don’t even know from where these accounts are being operated,” he added.

He noted that hardcore terrorist groups were operating online under the guise of free speech and urged the complete blocking and removal of their accounts. As many as 2,417 complaints regarding terror-related content are currently under review, he said.

Barrister Aqeel Malik echoed the concerns, stating that many of the banned organisations pose a threat not only to Pakistan but to global peace and stability. He reiterated that Pakistan has suffered deeply from terrorism, losing over 90,000 lives and bearing significant economic and social costs over the past two decades.

“The threat has evolved and spread across platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram,” Malik said, highlighting the need for stronger regulation and cooperation with social media companies. He added that Pakistan would welcome the establishment of local offices of global tech firms to enhance enforcement and coordination on security issues.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025