The Moral Dilemma of Digital Media in Pakistan

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Peshawar: In bustling homes, the quiet corners of students’ rooms, and even the weary hands of daily wage workers after long hours, glowing screens now dominate everyday life in Pakistan.

What was once celebrated as a miracle of communication has become a moral battleground. With the country at the crossroads of a digital revolution, social media’s impact on values and behavior is stirring an urgent debate.

Pakistan’s Digital Surge

As of January 2025, Pakistan counted more than 111 million internet users and nearly 72 million social media users. Platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have become omnipresent.

The numbers highlight the scale: 188.9 million active cellular connections, 44.5 million Facebook users, 71.7 million YouTube viewers, 54.38 million TikTok accounts, and 17.3 million Instagram users were recorded earlier this year.

While the digital boom has enabled education, freelancing, and entrepreneurship, experts say this positive use remains small compared to the vast majority engaged in endless, unproductive scrolling.

The Moral Crossroads

“I was searching for a religious sermon, and right next to it popped up vulgar images. Imagine what this does to the mind of a young boy or girl,” said Sidra Sheraz, a schoolteacher and mother of four in Peshawar.

She sees social media as a challenge to both duty-based and virtue-based moral frameworks. “Exposure to immoral content and the anonymity these platforms provide are breeding grounds for aggressive and unethical behavior.”

For parents, the shift is deeply personal. “My son doesn’t join us for dinner,” lamented Riaz Ahmad, a father of two in Mardan. “He just scrolls. All day. All night. I don’t know who he talks to, or what he sees.”

From Connection to Isolation

Experts warn that the digital realm, ungoverned by physical presence and accountability, often desensitizes users to real-world consequences.

“Physical absence breeds ethical absence,” said Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, former Director of Education, citing studies linking excessive social media use to depression, aggression, and declining academic performance, especially among teenagers.

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Even daily wage earners feel the pull. “Even laborers earning less than Rs 1,000 a day are spending hours watching TikTok videos,” observed Sajjad Khan, a shopkeeper in Nowshera. “We are addicted, and it’s costing us more than money.”

The Darker Side of Digital Influence

Beyond entertainment, social media has become a tool for character assassination, political polarization, and fake news proliferation. From doctored videos to AI-generated voices, disinformation spreads faster than truth.

“People abuse each other online in ways they would never dare in person,” Dr. Ibrahim noted. “There’s a dangerous disconnect between online behavior and real-world ethics.”

Government Response

To address these challenges, the federal government introduced amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025, targeting fake news, cyberbullying, and immoral content.

“People complain about censorship, but what is freedom without responsibility?” asked Hamza Khan, PML-N Nowshera President. “We are not stifling speech—we are preserving dignity.”

The revised law now imposes imprisonment and heavy fines on individuals spreading obscene material or misinformation. Firewalls and AI-based monitoring systems are being upgraded, though loopholes and VPNs continue to allow access to banned sites.

A Generation at Risk

The consequences are visible in homes and communities. “Our children are growing up physically present but emotionally distant,” Dr. Ibrahim warned. “They laugh with strangers online and sit silently at home.”

The constant chase for likes, shares, and views has created a fragile generation conditioned to seek external affirmation. Experts fear this could result in long-term identity struggles and emotional instability.

The Way Forward

Dr. Ibrahim argues that no single institution can confront this challenge alone. He stresses collaboration among schools, policymakers, civil society, tech companies, and parents.

Education: Introduce digital ethics and media literacy into school curricula. “Teach them how to use the tool before the tool uses them,” he said.

Parenting: Strengthen supervision and engagement. “Don’t just give your child a smartphone—give them your time.”

Accountability: Hold tech companies responsible for the content their algorithms promote.

Civic Responsibility: Civil society must encourage ethical digital citizenship.

Choosing Between Virtue and Viral

From reconnecting long-lost friends to mobilizing revolutions, social media has redefined human interaction. Yet in the race for virality, virtue often becomes the first casualty.

For a country rooted in faith, values, and community, the question is not just technological—it is spiritual, cultural, and generational. Pakistan must now decide how to reclaim its moral compass in the uncharted digital wilderness.