Pakistan blocks five dating apps including Tinder and Grindr
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Saturday
August 13, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022
Pakistan blocks five dating apps including Tinder and Grindr

Tech

Reuters
02 September, 2020, 08:30 am
Last modified: 02 September, 2020, 01:30 pm

Related News

  • Amnesty asks Pakistan to stop crackdown on protests against enforced disappearances
  • Suicide attack kills four Pakistani soldiers - Army
  • All doors shut on foreign aided party PTI: Pak Info Minister
  • Gunmen kill 4 in attack targeting lawmaker in NW Pakistan
  • Flash floods kill over 500 people in Pakistan during heaviest rains in decades

Pakistan blocks five dating apps including Tinder and Grindr

PTA said the notices issued to Tinder, Grindr, Tagged, Skout and SayHi sought the removal of “dating services” and moderation of live streaming content in accordance with local laws

Reuters
02 September, 2020, 08:30 am
Last modified: 02 September, 2020, 01:30 pm
The dating app Tinder is shown on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken September 1, 2020. Picture taken September 1, 2020/ Reuters
The dating app Tinder is shown on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken September 1, 2020. Picture taken September 1, 2020/ Reuters

Pakistan said on Tuesday it has blocked Tinder, Grindr and three other dating apps for not adhering to local laws, its latest move to curb online platforms deemed to be disseminating "immoral content".

Pakistan, the second largest Muslim-majority country in the world after Indonesia, is an Islamic nation where extra-marital relationships and homosexuality are illegal.

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority said it has sent notices to the management of the five apps, "keeping in view the negative effects of immoral/indecent content streaming."

PTA said the notices issued to Tinder, Grindr, Tagged, Skout and SayHi sought the removal of "dating services" and moderation of live streaming content in accordance with local laws.

Here’s where Tinder users in India virtually dated the most with Passport

The companies did not respond to the notices within the stipulated time, the regulator added.

Tinder, Tagged, Skout and Grindr did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters was unable to contact SayHi for comment.

Tinder, a globally popular dating app, is owned by Match Group while Tagged and Skout are owned by the Meet Group.

Grindr, which describes itself as a social networking and online dating application for LGBT people, was cleared to be sold by a Chinese company this year to an investor group called San Vicente Acquisition for $620 million.

Data from analytics firm Sensor Tower shows Tinder has been downloaded more than 440,000 times in Pakistan within the last 12 months. Grindr, Tagged and SayHi had each been downloaded about 300,000 times and Skout 100,000 times in that same period.

Critics say Pakistan, using recent digital legislation, has sought to rein in free expression on the internet, blocking or ordering the removal of content deemed immoral as well as news critical of the government and military.

In July, Pakistan issued a "final warning" to short-form video app TikTok over explicit content posted on the platform, while live streaming app Bigo Live was blocked for 10 days for the same reason.

Pakistani authorities reiterated that concern to TikTok officials in a recent meeting.

Last week, PTA also asked video-sharing platform YouTube to "immediately block vulgar, indecent, immoral, nude and hate speech content for viewing in Pakistan".

Top News / World+Biz / South Asia

Pakistan / Tinder / Grindr / dating apps

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Customers shop for vegetables at the Central de Abastos Market in Mexico City, Mexico.Photographer: Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg
    Latin America led world into high-rate era. Now it’s stuck there
  • Dalalplus embezzled Tk41cr: CID
    Dalalplus embezzled Tk41cr: CID
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra. Photo: Collected
    US says India hid Russian origin of fuel shipped to US, India central banker says

MOST VIEWED

  • Don’t let regulations hurt OTT platform growth: Stakeholders
    Don’t let regulations hurt OTT platform growth: Stakeholders
  • Sketch: TBS
    What do the artists think about AI image generators?
  • Passkeys: Microsoft, Google and Apple’s commitment to a secure passwordless future
    Passkeys: Microsoft, Google and Apple’s commitment to a secure passwordless future
  • YouTube. Photo: Collected
    YouTube plans to launch streaming video service
  • DALL-E created an image from “A bowl of soup that is a portal to another dimension as digital art” text description. Photo: OpenAI
    DALL-E: Potential to usher in a creative revolution
  • Samsung unveils next gen foldables at 'Galaxy Unpacked'
    Samsung unveils next gen foldables at 'Galaxy Unpacked'

Related News

  • Amnesty asks Pakistan to stop crackdown on protests against enforced disappearances
  • Suicide attack kills four Pakistani soldiers - Army
  • All doors shut on foreign aided party PTI: Pak Info Minister
  • Gunmen kill 4 in attack targeting lawmaker in NW Pakistan
  • Flash floods kill over 500 people in Pakistan during heaviest rains in decades

Features

Toes and talons of Shikra. Photo; Enam Ul Haque

Shikra: A leopard with wings!

10h | Panorama
Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Around the world in 10 days: A chance to taste global cuisines

9h | Food
Lobbyists float ludicrous arguments to prevent tobacco control act amendment

Lobbyists float ludicrous arguments to prevent tobacco control act amendment

12h | Panorama
Will US-China tensions boil over?

Will US-China tensions boil over?

10h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Eggs are selling at record prices

Eggs are selling at record prices

33m | Videos
Dollar price increase affecting Karnaphuli tunnel construction

Dollar price increase affecting Karnaphuli tunnel construction

1h | Videos
Climate crisis a blessing in disguise to them

Climate crisis a blessing in disguise to them

2h | Videos
Growing rice crisis shows how important food self-sufficiency is for Bangladesh

Growing rice crisis shows how important food self-sufficiency is for Bangladesh

3h | Videos

Most Read

1
Dollar crisis: BB orders removal of 6 banks’ treasury chiefs 
Banking

Dollar crisis: BB orders removal of 6 banks’ treasury chiefs 

2
Photo: Collected
Transport

Will Tokyo’s traffic model solve Dhaka’s gridlocks?

3
Diesel price hiked by Tk34 per litre, Octane by Tk46
Energy

Diesel price hiked by Tk34 per litre, Octane by Tk46

4
Representational Image. Photo: Collected
Bangladesh

Air passengers should plan extra commute time to airport: DMP

5
Arrest warrant against Habib Group chairman, 4 others 
Crime

Arrest warrant against Habib Group chairman, 4 others 

6
File Photo: State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid
Energy

All factories to remain closed once a week under rationing system

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]ews.net