The Pakistani government has called on global social media companies to immediately block accounts run by banned terrorist groups that are spreading propaganda online.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry urged platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram to take action.

“We’re asking social media operators to help block and remove these accounts, stop mirror accounts, and share user details with authorities,” said Chaudhry.

He emphasized that these accounts are being run by individuals and organizations banned not only in Pakistan but also in the US, UK, and by the United Nations.

Use AI to Detect & Block

Chaudhry requested that social media platforms use AI-based tools to detect and auto-block duplicate (mirror) accounts used by terrorist groups. He also highlighted the use of WhatsApp Channels by extremists to push hate content and harmful narratives.

This move is part of Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP), which outlines measures against terrorism, including actions against those spreading extremist content on media and digital platforms.

481 Terror-Linked Accounts Identified

Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, revealed that authorities have found 481 social media accounts linked to proscribed terror groups. These have already been reported to the respective platforms.

He urged social media companies to share account data with Pakistani authorities and cooperate in tracking and blocking more such accounts using AI.

“We welcome tech companies to set up offices in Pakistan to strengthen coordination with law enforcement,” Malik added.

New Digital Threats Emerging

Malik mentioned that groups like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) have active online presences, despite being banned globally.

The government warned that these online activities are not just a threat to Pakistan but also to global security, as terrorists are now using social media to recruit and spread propaganda using both real and fake identities.

“Pakistan remains committed to fighting terrorism both on the ground and online,” officials stated.

The post Pakistani Govt Asks Social Media Platforms to Block Terror Group Accounts appeared first on Techlist.

In a move that could significantly expand digital surveillance, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed a new requirement for individuals applying for U.S. citizenship, green cards, asylum, or refugee status to disclose their social media handles.

This proposal, published in the Federal Register, aligns with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The order directs federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to maximize screening and vetting efforts for non-citizens entering or residing in the U.S.

Enhanced Vetting Through Social Media

USCIS argues that collecting social media information is “necessary for rigorous vetting and screening” of applicants seeking immigration benefits. The policy would affect those applying for:

• Green cards
• U.S. naturalization
• Asylum or refugee status
• Relatives of individuals granted asylum or refugee status

The agency estimates that over 3.5 million applicants would be impacted by this measure annually.

Public Feedback and Privacy Concerns

Following the proposal’s publication, the public has until May 5 2025 to submit feedback on the policy. Privacy advocates and civil rights organizations have raised concerns over potential misuse and the chilling effect it may have on free speech. Critics argue that monitoring social media history could lead to arbitrary denials based on past online activity.

If approved, the new policy would add another layer to the U.S. immigration process, reinforcing digital scrutiny as a key component of national security evaluations.

The post Applying for US Citizenship? You May Have to Share Your Social Media Accounts appeared first on Techlist.

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, co-founders of Instagram, have resurfaced with a brand-new “text-based” app called Artifact.

The name was chosen, according to Systrom, to symbolise the app’s three pillars: “articles, facts, and artificial intelligence.” It functions essentially as a news aggregation app with a TikTok-like recommendation engine.
Users will initially see a central feed with articles from publications like The New York Times when Artifact is first launched. The app will adjust the feed based on your interests as you read more items.

According to Systrom, the seven-person team’s recommendation mechanism gives reading time an advantage over clicks and comments. Additionally, he stated that posts that “promote falsehoods” will not be accepted on Artifact, which would include news articles from both left- and right-leaning sources.
Artifact will eventually have a social component. The co-founders intend to introduce a feed that displays articles from individuals they have followed along with their comments.

Through a direct-message inbox, users will now have the option of privately discussing posts. Systrom and Krieger are now funding the initiative out of their own pockets.

They see Artifact as an early attempt to imagine the social apps of the future. You may sign up for the iOS and Android beta waiting lists if you’re interested in trying it out. The team plans to quickly invite new users, according to Systrom.

The post Instagram’s Co-founders Introduce a New Social App for News Reading appeared first on Techlist.

Increased taxes on social media platform income are in the works, as the federal government considers a proposal to raise taxes. The newly developed wave of inflation has had a negative impact on several areas of society. The increase in inflation is being justified to Pakistani citizens as a means of repaying the IMF loan.According to the foreign lender’s terms, plans are in the works to raise taxes on income over Rs1 million per year.

The IMF decides to ensure that the government adheres to strict conditionality as part of its programme. This programme has resulted in measures such as reductions in income tax credits and allowances.

According to reliable sources, an increase in taxes on income from social media sites such as online gaming, TikTok, and YouTube is also on the way.

If the taxes are applied, only time will tell. These higher levies may not be well received by content creators. This new tax scheme has the potential to be a double-edged sword. Given the new taxation policy, persons involved in the social media business may be compelled to leave the platform and seek alternative pathways for success.

The post Govt to Raise Tax on Online Gaming and Social Media Apps appeared first on Techlist.

The Sindh government has instructed the country’s top security agencies to take action against those propagating anti-state propaganda on social media and ‘brainwashing’ children against the state and its institutions.

While presiding over the 27th Apex Committee meeting, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah made the decision. The conference was also attended by Lt-Gen Muhammad Saeed, DG Rangers Major General Iftikhar Chaudhry, provincial ministers, police chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies, and other authorities.

The administration urged the agencies to look into people promoting anti-government propaganda on social media. Also, as saw at Karachi University, to incite them to murder innocent people. The government also instructed the agencies to employ cutting-edge technologies to combat anti-state and anti-social forces on social media.

In discussions with the participants, the chief minister resolved to strengthen intelligence networks and intelligence sharing in order to conduct operations against terrorists. The assembly also criticised the recent explosion in the Saddar neighbourhood and called for an investigation.

The post Sindh Govt Instructs Security Agencies to Control Anti-State Material on Social Media appeared first on Techlist.

Snapchat has made it easy to share YouTube videos directly from your snap or story, eliminating the need to copy, paste, and attach the video as a link (via Android Police). Both Android and iOS users can use the feature.

All you have to do now is go to YouTube, click the “Share” option, and then choose “Snapchat.” Snapchat will open, and the video will appear as its own sticker in your camera, complete with the video’s name, thumbnail, and creator.

After you’ve taken your photo or video, you can play about with the size, rotation, and placement of the sticker on the screen. Anyone who sees your snap or story can open the link and watch the video on YouTube or in their web browser.

If you’ve ever tried to incorporate a YouTube video in a Snapchat photo or video, you’ll remember having to copy the link from YouTube and then open Snapchat, where you’d shoot your photo or video, tap the paperclip button, and paste the link in (or give Snapchat access to your clipboard). The video would be shown as a resizeable banner with a small thumbnail and the video’s title.

You may still use this method to add YouTube videos, but it doesn’t look as nice in my opinion as this YouTube-specific sticker.

The new sticker provides a clearer view of the video’s thumbnail and actually displays the name of the video’s author, whereas the old link format did not include that — often vital — piece of information.

In 2020, Snapchat released a sticker for Twitter, allowing you to avoid transmitting pictures of tweets or, god forbid, photographing a tweet on your computer screen.

The post Snapchat Now Allows Direct Sharing of YouTube Videos appeared first on Techlist.

Pakistan has banned social media about 8 times in its history, and has a long and dark history of restrictions on various forms of media, and “continues to impose arbitrary legal and regulatory restrictions on online speech and content, order prohibitions, suspensions and warnings against media applications ‘’according to reports.

However, he now plans to introduce new digital media rules that may be stricter than any previous attempts to suppress or curb freedom of speech on social media. The government has proposed the establishment of the Pakistani Media Development Bureau (PMDA), which will be solely responsible for overseeing print, broadcast, and digital media.

A government proposal explained: “This will be a new statutory agency designed to regulate Pakistan’s efforts in metadata, digital and social media and Film, electronic, print, and digital media in the age of internet-based content and advertising. ‘’

PMDA will have the right to register a digital media platform, monitor and analyze it, and check the revenue generated through online advertising. ‘’Unlicensed and unregulated’’ online advertising means there is a possibility of “income loss and tax evasion “has been pointed out in the proposal.

The authorities will issue guidelines for Internet-based advertising and the revenue generated from it. In addition, permission must be obtained from PMDA to establish a digital media platform, whether it is a YouTube channel for news/video blogs, or a Facebook news page, or a website for news reporting in the future if the authorities take over the government’s control of digital media to reach new heights.

The famous reporter Muhammad Malick lamented in his talk show: “As an ordinary person or reporter, What is the need for me to obtain permission from the government to start a video blog? The license means that it will also be renewed, so my general behavior will be reviewed and the license will only be re-obtained if I am a good boy.”

The proposal to establish a media monitoring agency was widely rejected by journalists, activists, and opposition groups, who called it “unconstitutional and strict laws”.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information Secretary of PML-N, described PMDA as a repressive and punitive tool to suppress the constitutional freedom of expression of print media, electronic media, and online citizen news.”

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman called the PMDA’s proposed decree a “media martial law.” Digital rights advocate Nighat Dad also opposed the proposed authorization in a talk show.

The post Government Plans to License Digital Media appeared first on Techlist.

Messaging giant WhatsApp will soon launch a series of new features for its users, including disappear mode and see once, and so on. WABetaInfo reported news about these new features.

However, this time the online platform did not reference any internal resources to learn more about the new features. Instead, the site managed to talk directly with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart about the new features.

After chatting with Cathcart, Zuckerberg joined the chat and talked about the new features they plan to launch on WhatsApp soon. The platform also uploaded chat pictures.

According to these pictures, Zuckerberg confirmed in the chat that, in his view, people’s most important interaction is around private messaging. The head of Facebook announced that they are developing other features to make chats and messages more private.

 Mark also confirmed that WhatsApp will soon introduce a disappearance mode, which will automatically enable temporary messages in new chat threads.

He then confirmed that the function will soon be implemented in the messaging application, allowing users to view the image or video once before it disappears. At the same time, Cathcart confirmed that multiple devices will also be implemented in the public beta for two months.

The person in charge of WhatsApp also made some important confirmations to WABetaInfo in the interview. Among them, WhatsApp on the iPad will be compatible with the help of multiple devices, and the beta version will soon be open to more iOS users, and users will be able to use multiple devices to connect up to 4 paired devices. According to the CEO of Facebook, these new features will give them greater privacy in their communications.

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7 Best Social Media Platforms for Your Business Marketing

When considering your online marketing strategy, your website МUЅТ соmе fіrst. Тhіnk оf it аs sort оf а “base camp” that уоu will connect to/from any number оf external points. Your website is property owned bу уоu, whеrеаs social media раgеs аrе owned bу sоmеоnе еlsе. Lооk аt social media sites аs simply а vehicle tо gеt уоur message оut thеrе аnd drive traffic bасk tо whаt уоu hаvе control оvеr. Ѕtіll, gеttіng “social” іs аn іmроrtаnt component tо аnу marketing plan.

Did уоu knоw… thеrе аrе mоrе thаn 100 thriving social media sites online rіght nоw аnd mоrе popping uр еvеrу single day. It’s еnоugh tо mаkе а persons head spin!

Where dо уоu start whеn deciding whаt are the best social media platforms tо include іn уоur marketing strategy?

Here іs our list of best social media platforms. Yоu don’t hаvе tо dо thеm аll. Decide whісh оnеs (2 оr mоrе) will mоst benefit уоur business аnd gо frоm there.

Ok, sо hеrе іt is:

Facebook

Launched іn February 2004 fоr college students, Facebook hаs соmе а long wау іn а short sеvеn years. Νоw wіth аn estimated more than 2 bіllіоn active users іt іs ranked аs thе mоst usеd social networking service іn thе wоrld (bу thе number оf active monthly users).

Lucky fоr уоu, starting а business раgе – аnd tapping іntо thе power оf Facebook – іs pretty easy. Оnсе уоur раgе іs created, users ‘lіkе’ іt (opt-in tо gеt уоur posts) аnd уоur news will bе posted tо thеіr ‘wall.’

The Facebook interface mаkеs іt easy fоr уоur fans tо ‘lіkе’ оr share уоur posts аnd whеn thеу dо, thеіr friends (thе average user hаs 130 friends) will sее thіs activity, thеrеfоrе putting уоur brand іn front оf аn audience уоu mау nоt nоrmаllу hаvе access to.

Twitter

A micro-blogging social media site thаt hаs bееn аrоund sіnсе 2004, Twitter hаs аn estimated 330 mіllіоn active users world-wide. Іt hаs bееn described аs SMS оf thе internet, bесаusе posts аrе short, sweet аnd to-the-point.

Twitter іs а tidal wave оf іnfоrmаtіоn. Posts соmе іn аt 140 characters оr lеss аnd саn bе organized vіа hashtags (#). Topics range frоm totally practical (І оftеn search #Techlistpk) tо thе absolutely absurd.

Twitter differs frоm Facebook іn thаt users only ‘follow’ еасh оthеr. Іf sоmеоnе fоllоws уоu, уоu саn follow thеm bасk. Тhеrеfоrе іt іs easier tо gain а fоllоwіng, but thе followers аrе nоt аs targeted аs thеу аrе оn Facebook.

I hаvе fоund thаt Twitter іs аn awesome wау tо connect wіth people and/or оthеr businesses participating іn thе sаmе event. Fоllоwіng а hashtag аt а concert, live performance оr webinar creates а richer experience. Аs а business owner уоu саn utilize thіs аt events уоur company participates іn – trу іt! – I’ll bet уоu’d bе blown аwау bу thе response.

Instagram

Instagram is now one of the topmost used social media these days. Many internet marketers and entrepreneurs have identified the power of Instagram and their uses. It can be used to share everything you want to, as your post & photos.

People usually view your profile, like it and follow that one. And as you already know, the more followers you have, the chances to get in front of your audience. Instagram is having now more than 1 billion active monthly users worldwide and increasing daily exponentially. Buy Instagram followers and likes are very similar like the facebook and twitter. You can gain more and more followers manually and of course, they will require a lot of time.

YouTube

YouTube іs а video sharing social media site thаt іs owned bу Google. Тhеrе аrе mоrе thаn 48 hours оf nеw video uploaded tо thе site еvеrу minute. Wow! Аs а small business owner, usіng video іn уоur online marketing strategy – аnd thе back-end key wоrds оf уоur YouTube video –  іs јust аs іmроrtаnt аs уоur оthеr online strategies.

YouTube rесеntlу announced YouTube fоr schools аnd І predict mоrе ‘stations’ will bе rolling оut іn thе future. Will уоur specialty bе included? Maybe!

Google+ (Google Plus)

Google іs а power house, thіs іs nо surprise. Originally launched аs а search engine company іn 1996, Google hаs continually аddеd, updated аnd created nеw products thаt will appeal tо іt’s 1 billion unique visitors реr month.

Google Рlus wаs introduced іn June 2011 fоr personal usе аnd іn November 2011 wаs opened tо brands. Ѕоmе оf thе features оf Google+ include: Circles, Hangouts, Messenger, Instant Upload, Hashtags аnd mоrе. Тhеsе products аrе definitely designed wіth thе user іn mind. Тhе downside – thеrе іs nо wау tо create а vanity url fоr уоur brand page.

Even thоugh thіs іs Google’s fourth gо аt а social media site, уоu саnnоt deny thе іmроrtаnсе оf adding уоur brand tо thеrе, іf fоr search engine rankings alone.

LinkedIn

Founded іn 2002 аnd launched іn 2003, LinkedIn іs ТНЕ premier B2B social networking site. LI gеts 2 nеw members еvеrу second, putting іt аt 500 mіllіоn active users іn mоrе thаn 200 countries.

Traditionally viewed аs thе spot tо рut уоur resume аnd search fоr а job, LinkedIn hаs grown іntо а robust networking site. Frоm job listings tо interest groups (thеrе аrе mоrе thаn 870K groups) thеrе аrе great benefits tо keeping уоur profile up-to-date. Lооk аt іt lіkе а business аftеr hours event…. рut оn уоur suit, add а smile tо уоur face аnd bе оn уоur best behavior bесаusе уоu nеvеr knоw whаt kind оf business leads уоu’rе going tо get.

I аlwауs recommend dedicating аn hour оr sо а week maintaining уоur LI profile. Аlsо, bе surе add уоur company listing, аnd update іt аs well. Usе уоur LI company profile раgе lіkе а resume fоr уоur business.

Pinterest

If уоur products аrе visually appealing, thеn thіs social media site іs fоr уоu. Pinterest іs а vision board-styled social photo sharing site thаt wаs launched іn 2009. Тhе mission іs tо connect еvеrуоnе іn thе wоrld thrоugh shared taste аnd thе things thеу find interesting.

Users find аnd create theme-based boards, populating thеsе ‘boards’ wіth а “Pin Іt” button. Pins mау bе divided іntо pictures, videos, discussions, аnd gifts.

Users mау follow аnуоnе оr аnу brand, users саn аlsо ‘re-pin’ уоur pinned items. Companies wіth product photos саn gain а huge fоllоwіng аnd quick.

Hopefully you’ve have the read, if you have experienced any of above best social media platforms don’t hesitate to share your experience with the audience in comment box.

The post The Best Social Media Platforms for Your Business Marketing appeared first on Techlist.

Where it keeps you in touch it also acts like a new reporter and a life changer. You will get every sort of news from all corners of World. It has changed our ideas and views about certain things. Here are Top 6 social media trends 2016 that went viral in Pakistan.

The Chai Wala Miracle:

We used to hear life can change over night! Who knew it would come to us an example. Arshad Khan aka Chai Wala became popular with a single photo. A random click by a media graduate changed his life for the rest of the years he lives. He was offered modeling that was accepted with great pleasure. He was not only famous in Pakistan but also gained coverage from international channels CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera and Mashable. People started comparing him with well known stars of film industries.

Qandeel Baloch With Mufti of Pakistan:

She was self-proclaimed social media sensation of Pakistan. She was a popular name in and around the country for many reasons. In 2016 she went viral in Pakistan when a Mufti Abdul Qavi lost his membership from Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after she posted a selfie with him.

Jeena of Mann Mayal:

Mann Mayal itself was a great hit but the actual spice was added by Jeena. Ayesha Khan was castes for the role and in the serial she was a lonely orphan girl. The repeating of same dialogue complaining about herself being an orphan was a huge it. “Mere to Maa Baap bhi nhi hain”, got viral and the character was trolled on almost every site.

Momina Mustehsan:

Afreen Afreen was one of the songs everyone had in their play list this year. Aired on a Coke Studio episode this song became a great hit but there was someone who gained even more fame. Yes! The girl singer with The Qawali King Rahat Fateh Ali Khan became more famous.

Momina Mustehsan is an engineer but sang this song. She became the dream girl for her voice and beauty. Further o be a very calm and graceful. She now has 4 million followers on Face book.

Sheikh Rasheed at Committee Chowk:

A total Dabbang Style entry of Politician Sheikh Rasheed. He arrived at PTI rally on a bike. The crowd broke into laughter. This remained a hot topic for weeks.

Demise of Amjad Sabri, Edhi & Junaid Jamshaid:

Some losses are forever, nothing could ever fill the gap they leave behind such is the case with the demise of Pakistani Legends Amjad Sabri, Abdul Sattar Edhi and Junaid Jamshed. There sudden death caused a storm of emotional statuses and tweets.

These top Social Media Trends 2016 were part of every one’s discussions in the country during different event.

The post Top 6 Social Media Trends 2016 That Went Viral in Pakistan appeared first on Techlist.