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September 2, 2025 - Comments Off on Man accused of threatening and harassing social media influencer arrested 

Man accused of threatening and harassing social media influencer arrested 

Islamabad police have arrested the suspect accused of harassing and threatening social media influencer Samiya Hijab. On Sunday evening, Samiya Hijab filed a First Investigation Report (FIR) and posted a video on her Instagram account, accusing a man of repeatedly harassing her, physically assaulting her and threatening to abduct her from her home. The case, registered under sections 354, 365, 392, 500, 509 and 511 of the Pakistan Penal Code, was immediately taken up by local police.

September 1, 2025 - Comments Off on Concerns over age-verification software raised in Australian report 

Concerns over age-verification software raised in Australian report 

Concerns over selfie-based age verification software mount as an Australian government commissioned report finds “unacceptable” inaccuracies. In anticipation of the software’s full rollout in December of this year, a trial run was conducted by government appointed authorities to understand its precision and reliability. 

The report found that while age estimations made through photos are largely fast, accurate and safe, it becomes harder for children near the age of 16, who had an 8.5 percent chance of being estimated as underage. More concerningly, the software shows early signs of algorithmic discrimination that would make it particularly difficult for non-Causians and teenage girls to be precisely categorised.

August 31, 2025 - Comments Off on Meta addresses mental health challenges posed by AI

Meta addresses mental health challenges posed by AI

With a recent surge in instances where AI chatbots engage in sensitive and provocative discussions around self-harm and romance, Meta has announced its commitment to adding new safeguards for teenage users when using AI products and subsequent training systems. This comes directly after Reuters exclusive report revealing Meta’s AI to be having intimate conversations with minors as well as sensitive issues such as suicide. Representatives from Meta have said that they are working on adjusting their AI policies that would limit minors from interacting with specific AI characters that can prove to be harmful to their physical and mental health.

August 31, 2025 - Comments Off on CCTV surveillance amounts to workplace harassment – FOSPAH

CCTV surveillance amounts to workplace harassment – FOSPAH

Surveillance of employees through CCTV cameras has been declared as workplace harassment by the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH). This decision comes directly after a complaint was filed by a female employee at an institution in Rawalpindi, claiming that the CEO was subjecting her to "excessive surveillance and intimidation.” 

A detailed review of the evidence and incident found that the accused had engaged in unjustified and targeted monitoring of his employees, creating an unsafe, hostile work environment. Along with a penalty censure, the accused was also ordered to pay up to Rs.50,000 as compensatory damages to the victim. 

August 29, 2025 - Comments Off on Groups on Meta Platforms spammed AI-generated Holocaust Images to garner monetized engagement

Groups on Meta Platforms spammed AI-generated Holocaust Images to garner monetized engagement

BBC has reportedly discovered a “web” of online spammers producing AI-generated images of the Holocaust. These posts feature Jews in Holocaust camps, and have been labelled by spokespersons of Holocaust Memorial Organizations in Europe as a weaponization of atrocity. By exploiting the memory of the holocaust, content creators have turned it into an “emotional game”, garnering views by spamming thousands of identical photos in what has been termed “AI-slop”, a phenomenon incentivized by the reward systems of private social media platforms. Holocaust Memorial organizations have singled out Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for facilitating the proliferation of these spam posts through its algorithmic incentives and weak content moderation guidelines. Most of these posts were also stolen from the Auschwitz Museum and fabricated through AI systems. The BBC tracked multiple accounts based in Pakistan who have relied on Holocaust related AI-slop to “game” Meta’s Content Monetization Programme which pays users based on the magnitude of audience their posts attract. According to interviewees involved in these schemes, Pakistani accounts were catering their outputs to attract a highly lucrative Western audience, and these incentives have ultimately warped into this new “AI Holocaust” trend. 

August 21, 2025 - Comments Off on Balochistan High Court restores mobile internet

Balochistan High Court restores mobile internet

The Balochistan High Court has ordered the immediate restoration of mobile internet services, ending a 15-day suspension imposed over “security reasons.”

The case was filed by Khair Muhammad Shaheen, chair of Balochistan’s Consumer Civil Society, who argued that the shutdown violated fundamental rights, including access to information, education, trade, and equality. A two-member bench led by Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech ruled that services must resume in Quetta within two hours, warning the PTA of contempt of court if delays persist.

Following the order, mobile internet was restored in Quetta and parts of Pishin and Chaman, with officials confirming full resumption in Dalbandin, Pishin, Chaman, and Taftan within hours. The hearing was adjourned until August 25.

The suspension, initially announced until August 31, had disrupted businesses, education, and communication across the province. Rights groups note that repeated shutdowns have become common amid worsening security in Balochistan.

August 21, 2025 - Comments Off on NCCIA releases list of 46 illegal apps and websites in Pakistan

NCCIA releases list of 46 illegal apps and websites in Pakistan

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has released an official list of 46 illegal apps and websites currently operating in Pakistan. The move follows the recent arrest of YouTuber Ducky Bhai in connection with one of these platforms.

The banned apps and websites include online betting and gambling platforms, unregulated forex trading applications, and data-leakage tools that unlawfully provide SIM and CNIC information.

Authorities have warned that promoting or using these apps can lead to prosecution under Pakistani cyber laws, with potential fines and imprisonment. The NCCIA has urged the public to exercise caution and report suspicious digital platforms.

August 20, 2025 - Comments Off on Country’s internet connectivity drops to 20% after PTCL, Ufone outage

Country’s internet connectivity drops to 20% after PTCL, Ufone outage

Heavy rainfall in Karachi triggered major service disruptions to PTCL internet and Ufone networks, causing nationwide connectivity issues. Since other telecom operators source wholesale internet from PTCL, Jazz, Zong, and Telenor, subscribers also experienced service slowdowns and outages.

Netblocks, a global internet watchdog, confirmed a nationwide disruption, reporting that internet connectivity had dropped to just 20% of ordinary levels.

A PTCL spokesperson acknowledged the outage, saying teams were working to restore services but stopped short of confirming the cause. Sources in the IT and Telecom Ministry indicated the fault likely originated at a submarine cable landing station in Karachi’s Clifton area. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also confirmed that technical teams were working on the issue.

IT Minister Shaza Fatima attributed the disruptions to power outages, flood damage, and network congestion, noting that Karachi’s 12 million mobile subscribers were heavily impacted. With Ufone offline, load shifted to the remaining three operators, further straining their networks.

Telecom officials highlighted additional challenges, including difficulties in supplying diesel to generators and damage to more than 200 towers, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s flood-affected regions.

As a result, Karachi residents reported telephony blackouts in several areas.

August 18, 2025 - Comments Off on PFUJ condemns FIA cases against four women journalists under PECA

PFUJ condemns FIA cases against four women journalists under PECA

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the registration of cases against four women journalists, Nayyar Ali, Sehrish Qureshi, Maira Imran, and Shakeela Jalil, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

The cases were lodged by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the complaint of a National Press Club (NPC) member, who alleged harassment by his former wife and claimed the NPC committee members were “facilitating” her. The four journalists were part of the committee that had earlier ruled both husband and wife guilty of misconduct.

PFUJ leaders Afzal Butt and Arshad Ansari denounced the move as a “gross misuse of power” and an attempt to intimidate journalists. They noted the FIA acted without offering the journalists an opportunity for explanation. The union reiterated its demand for the repeal of PECA, widely criticised as a tool to stifle free speech, and warned of nationwide protests if the cases are not dismissed.

August 18, 2025 - Comments Off on NADRA app shows bizarre ‘death cancellation’ option for users themselves

NADRA app shows bizarre ‘death cancellation’ option for users themselves

The National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) mobile app has drawn criticism after users spotted a confusing feature that appears to let deceased individuals cancel their own identity cards.

Under the app’s “Cancel Identity Due to Death” option, applicants are given two choices: one for relatives of the deceased, and another labeled “Myself.” Strangely, selecting the latter triggers a facial recognition “liveness check,” a process meant to confirm that the applicant is alive and matches their official record.

This means the app seems to assume that a deceased person could log in, choose the “myself” option, and complete a liveness check, a contradiction that has left users baffled.

When contacted, a NADRA spokesperson clarified that the service is intended only for relatives of the deceased. However, the spokesperson did not explain why the “myself” selection exists in the first place or why it requires a liveness test for someone presumed dead.

This raises concerns over poor design and oversight in government digital platforms. NADRA has yet to clarify whether the feature is a glitch, a mislabeling error, or a flaw in the app’s design.