ISLAMABAD – In a major development, the Facebook administration has agreed to add a ‘Kafir! Kafir!’ emoji reaction to its six existing choices with the tradition ‘Like’ button, following the Federal Interior Ministry’s clampdown on blasphemous content on social media.
In this regard Facebook is sending a delegation to Pakistan as the Interior Ministry requested blocking content on the social networking site.
“The Facebook in a letter has informed the government that it was ready to solve the matter through a new emoji reaction button. The Facebook has also appointed a focal person for coordination with the PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) to work on other tools to facilitate everyone whose sentiments are offended by the said content,” said a statement issued by the Interior Ministry.
Earlier speaking at a press conference, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the new emoji reaction would resolve the issue of blasphemous content.
“These emoji reactions would serve as blasphemy FIRs,” he said adding that Facebook has agreed to link Pakistan’s FIA to content which receives ‘Kafir! Kafir!’ emoticons.
He said that the government would take strict action against those facilitators of this heinous crime that suggest the unfollow button as a solution.
While the feature would first be tested in Pakistan only, Facebook sources have confirmed that it might be implemented in other Muslim countries, depending on its usage in Pakistan.
“We’d like to see how many Pakistani Facebook users actually react with ‘Kafir! Kafir!’ before we make it available to other countries,” a Facebook official said wishing anonymity. “But we’re hoping for an overwhelming response.”