Pakistan has blocked five dating apps, including Tinder and Grindr, on the grounds of "immoral and indecent content."
The country's telecom watchdog said Tuesday that it blocked access to Tinder, Tagged, Skout, Grindr and SayHi after the dating and live streaming apps fell afoul of local laws.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority said it had issued notices to the companies advising them to remove dating services and moderate live streaming content on their apps.
The companies didn't respond in time — hence the block, the authority said.
The watchdog added that it can "reconsider" the block if the apps adhere to local laws and moderate indecent and immoral content.
Tinder and Grindr are popular in the United States and other Western countries.
But the dating apps have far less traction in deeply conservative, religious Pakistan.
Tinder was downloaded 440,000 times in Pakistan in the last 12 months compared to 13 million times in the United States during the same period, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower.
Grindr — which describes itself as "the largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people" — was downloaded 300,000 times in Pakistan compared to nearly 2 million in the United States in the last 12 months.
Tagged and SayHi had each been downloaded about 300,000 times in Pakistan, and Skout 100,000 times in the past 12 months, according to Sensor Tower.
Tinder, which is owned by Match (MTCH), did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Grinder and The Meet Group (MEET), which owns Tagged and Skout, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
SayHi could not be reached for comment.
Pakistan's telecommunications watchdog has also threatened to block TikTok, the popular video-sharing app under enormous pressure in the United States.
In July, the government authority issued a "final warning" to TikTok over "immoral, obscene and vulgar content" found on the app.
Last week, the regulator said it had met with senior management of TikTok and noted that while the app had taken down indecent content, it should put in place stronger content moderating to make sure "unlawful material" isn't accessible in Pakistan.
Latest Stories
-
Town council in Canada at standstill over refusal to take King’s oath
28 mins -
Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws
40 mins -
Providing quality seeds to farmers is first step towards achieving food security in Ghana
50 mins -
Kenya’s president cancels major deals with Adani Group
2 hours -
COP29: Africa urged to invest in youth to lead fight against climate change
2 hours -
How Kenya’s evangelical president has fallen out with churches
2 hours -
‘Restoring forests or ravaging Ghana’s green heritage?’ – Coalition questions Akufo-Addo’s COP 29 claims
2 hours -
Ensuring peaceful elections: A call for justice and fairness in Ghana
3 hours -
Inside South Africa’s ‘ruthless’ gang-controlled gold mines
4 hours -
Give direct access to Global Health Fund – Civil Society calls allocations
4 hours -
Trudeau plays Santa with seasonal tax break
4 hours -
Prince Harry jokes in tattoo sketch for Invictus
4 hours -
Akufo-Addo commissions 200MW plant to boost economic growth
5 hours -
Smallholder farmers to make use of Ghana Commodity Exchange
5 hours -
I want to focus more on my education – Chidimma Adetshina quits pageantry
5 hours