26 November 2024

Pakistan appears to block social media platform Bluesky amid user surge

Daryna Antoniuk

Pakistani authorities appear to have blocked access to the social media platform Bluesky as its popularity surges worldwide.

Data from the internet watchdog NetBlocks confirmed reports earlier this week that users in Pakistan couldn’t access the service without using a virtual private network (VPN).

Pakistan has increasingly restricted social media over the past year, sometimes publicly announcing the decisions. Government agencies, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), have not yet officially commented on Bluesky.

In February, authorities limited access to X (formerly Twitter) amid “escalating unrest and protests over allegations of election fraud.” The country has also experienced months of social media shutdowns and internet disruptions tied to its general election.

In November, Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology, a state agency responsible for ensuring laws align with Islamic principles, declared the use of VPNs against Islamic law and advised the government to ban the technology.


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