Digital activism is leveraging the internet and social media to reach an audience and foreground one’s voice. Social media platforms have become a hub of activism for over 111 million Pakistanis with internet access. Utilizing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok, the youth of Pakistan are making an impact by spotlighting their issues and running campaigns using the technology. When a transgender cultural event, Scrap Fest, was prohibited from going offline, organizers chose to stream it online. In the same vein, political parties like Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) held massive virtual rallies to foreground their agenda online and surpass media blackouts. These instances manifest the changing trend of activism from conventional ways to a new digitalized fashion, challenging the stifling role of the state.

However, this online space, according to Freedom House, is constantly facing different challenges, with frequent internet outages being one of them. Apart from jamming the internet, digital activists face hurdles such as social media censorship, legislative restrictions, and personal threats.

Legal and Regulatory Barriers

Frequent criminal charges are faced by social media critics and digital activists. In early 2024, the authorities lodged FIRs against dozens of journalists and lawyers for, apparently, spreading “fake news” regarding a rape in a college. One other instance is when a TikTok user was

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