Cyber harassment helpline goes live in Pakistan

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The Digital Rights Foundation, an advocacy group striving for a free and open internet in Pakistan, has launched a cyber harassment helpline aiming to help victims of online bullying, blackmailing, and extortion.

Nighat Dad, founder of Digital Rights Foundation, tells Tech in Asia that complaints about online harassment, especially from women, spiked so much in the past two years that this helpline was a necessity.

There was further outcry after the brutal murder of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch which divided public opinion in Pakistan. Activists campaigning for harsh punishments against the alleged murderers were subjected to online abuse, hate, and death threats.

Most of those affected were hesitant about approaching law enforcement authorities to resolve their issues, saying they didn’t take their complaints seriously.

The cyber harassment helpline isn’t restricted to women only. “Violence is gender-neutral,” explains Nighat.

Digital rights activist Nighat Dad

The helpline is currently manned by four people, and operates on weekdays between 9 am to 5 pm local time. The people attending calls are professionally trained and equipped to handle complaints ranging from law, cybersecurity, and digital rights. There’s also a counselor available for those who require urgent attention.

It’s funded to the extent of US$30,000 spanning grants from Urgent Action Fund and Open Technology Fund. Nighat says the cash is projected to sustain operations for roughly six months, after which they’ll need to raise more money.

Pakistan laws stipulate that all forms of cyber harassment, stalking, threats, and blackmail will be addressed by a special investigative department of the police known as the FIA Cyber Crime Wing. But Nighat says the department is understaffed and isn’t helping the project much.

“We aren’t a law-enforcement body so our work is mostly about pointing people in the right direction, counseling, and following up. We’re trying to have a frank and honest discussion with the FIA to better manage this,” she adds.

It’s been just a few days since the helpline went live, but the team’s already receiving about 10 calls every day. All the cases are genuine, so far, with zero prank calls.

Nighat’s been involved in digital rights and activism since the late 2000s, with most of her work helping women, especially in the conservative parts of the country, access the internet freely and without backlash. Her efforts were recently acknowledged by the Dutch government, which awarded her the 2016 Human Rights Tulip Award.