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THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL FIREWALLS IN COMBATING POLITICAL EXTREMISM AND THE RISE OF VPN USAGE IN PAKISTAN A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES AND USER RESPONSES

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10 Pages : 101-114

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2025(X-I).10      10.31703/gsr.2025(X-I).10      Published : Mar 2025

The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses

Abstract

    Owing to growing political extremism on social media, the Government of Pakistan implemented a digital firewall framework aimed at curbing extremist content. However, due to poor execution of the policy, the public resorted to the use of VPNs to bypass online restrictions. The research aims to examine how the government's attempt to combat online political extremism triggered an unforeseen outcome in the form of increased VPN usage. Employing a quantitative methodology by conducting an online survey of social media users in Pakistan, the study reveals the public's dissatisfaction with the government's digital regulation measures, perceiving them as a possible threat to their inalienable right to information and doubting whether it could prove to be a viable measure to achieve the government's desired outcome. Finally, the paper recommends a review of the existing digital firewall policy for an improved public response and outcome.

    Digital Firewalls, Political Extremism, VPN Usage, Social Media Responses

    (1) Laiba Amjad
    Graduate Scholar, Department of International Relations, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Sobia Hanif
    Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Asma Khalid
    Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
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Cite this article

APA

    APA : Amjad, L., Hanif, S., & Khalid, A. (2025). The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses. Global Sociological Review, X(I), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2025(X-I).10

CHICAGO

    CHICAGO : Amjad, Laiba, Sobia Hanif, and Asma Khalid. 2025. "The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses." Global Sociological Review, X (I): 101-114 doi: 10.31703/gsr.2025(X-I).10

HARVARD

    HARVARD : AMJAD, L., HANIF, S. & KHALID, A. 2025. The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses. Global Sociological Review, X, 101-114.

MHRA

    MHRA : Amjad, Laiba, Sobia Hanif, and Asma Khalid. 2025. "The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses." Global Sociological Review, X: 101-114

MLA

    MLA : Amjad, Laiba, Sobia Hanif, and Asma Khalid. "The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses." Global Sociological Review, X.I (2025): 101-114 Print.

OXFORD

    OXFORD : Amjad, Laiba, Hanif, Sobia, and Khalid, Asma (2025), "The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses", Global Sociological Review, X (I), 101-114

TURABIAN

    TURABIAN : Amjad, Laiba, Sobia Hanif, and Asma Khalid. "The Effectiveness of Digital Firewalls in Combating Political Extremism and the Rise of VPN Usage in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Social Media Policies and User Responses." Global Sociological Review X, no. I (2025): 101-114. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2025(X-I).10