The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), swiftly passed in Pakistan’s lower house of parliament following an opposition walkout, has sparked controversy. While the government claims the law aims to curb the spread of disinformation,

Pakistan’s lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will give the government sweeping controls on social media, including sending users to prison for spreading disinformation.

A new law in Pakistan aimed at regulating social media content has angered journalism groups and rights activists, which say it is aimed at curbing press freedom and called on Friday for nationwide protests next week.