Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced the TikT ban on Friday, 9th October. The regulator claimed that it received numerous complaints of indecent and immoral content on the popular video-sharing app. PTA also issued a warning to TikTok in July, regarding the moderation of explicit content. After failing to comply, the short-form video app had to suffer yet another ban.
The popular app owned by ByteDance is already in the middle of global thunderstorm due to privacy and security concerns. India banned it for the same reasons and it continues to face criticism in other countries like the US, Turkey, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, and the European Union.
Social media users were also quick to memefy this notable move by the communication authority
Funny Memes Showing Reactions On TikTok Ban
Here it shows how the lovers of this app would feel right now. What’s ironic is that this meme tells this sad story in the style of a one viral TikTok video. People have previously trolled this TikToker for faking her husband’s death, for views. Now, they have made a meme template in her honor
The situation on social media is fragile. It seems like that a number of memers were waiting for this exact moment. They made so many outrageous jokes on the fans of TikTok that any kind of eye-contact, could have led to fatal outcomes.
It is rare to witness someone praising PTA for their decisions. Although banning TikTok would not make much of a difference for their concern about ethics, it would surely ignite further clashes. However, the meme-makers decided to sit back and enjoy the chaos.
No Sympathy For Pakistani TikTokers?
Some Pakistani influencers were very popular among the viewers. Their fans have expressed sadness for they will not be able to see them perform anymore. The jokesters on the hand found joy in their pain. The most followed TikToker in Pakistan, Jannat Mirza just reached 10 million followers the day before TikTok got banned. It seems that this meme is feeling sorry for her in its own way
Fans will surely miss their beloved influencers who might have to select another platform to stay in touch with their fans. Meanwhile, it did not stop people from highlighting that they’re technically jobless.
The Crucial Fault Hidden In Plain Sight
Threat to the moral fabric of society is an apparent reason of the Tiktok ban in Pakistan which seems ridiculous; the reason is that issue lies in the people and not in the app.
TikTok has provided a platform to the budding actors to showcase their skill. It has proved itself as an app with a massive outreach. Users from the diverse socio-economic backgrounds had access to it for making videos and showing their creativity. Even aspiring actors who otherwise find it difficult to make it to TV and film studios had got an opportunity to make their own skits and attract a reasonable audience.
The TikTok ban has not only attacked the livelihoods of tiktokers but it has also made it difficult for government to achieve the goal of digital Pakistan while undermining the confidence of foreign investors as well. The ban has also made Pakistan government face fair share of criticism as explained in this meme.
