LHC seeks govt reply on plea for ban on TikTok, other apps

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued notices to the federal government and other respondents on a petition seeking ban on a number of social media applications, including TikTok, Bigo Live and Likee.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti directed the official respondents to file their response to the petition by next hearing.

Advocate Waqas Anwar Gujjar moved the petition, stating that the applications like TikTok, Bigo Live, Likee and others are becoming a source of waste of time for youngsters.

Naming the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and others respondents in the case, he said that besides this, TikTok has claimed the lives of many youngsters who while trying to shoot short videos for the app had lost their lives.

The petitioner submitted that these social media applications have become a source of promoting vulgar content and no action had been taken despite bringing the matter to the notice of the authorities concerned including the PTA.

He pleaded that the apps should immediately be banned and the authorities be directed to introduce laws for monitoring of such applications.