The Punjab government has established new restrictions to oversee its workers’ social media activity, suggesting a paradigm shift in its attitude to online conduct.
The amendments, which were put into the Punjab Government Servants’ Rules of 1966, aim to keep government staff in the digital sector professional and politically impartial.
Government personnel are now barred from expressing personal ideas on any external websites, according to the new guidelines termed a social media ban.
Furthermore, workers must avoid liking, commenting on, or sharing material on major social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram without prior consent from the responsible authorities.
The government decided due to fears that its workers’ activity on social media may not conform to set norms.
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There have been cases where the usage of these platforms resulted in the distribution of material that violated political standards, necessitating a more controlled approach.
Similarly, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration has adopted a stance on government employees’ online activity. A recently enacted guideline requires officials to obtain authorization before posting any information about government business on social media networks.
This regulation expressly prevents government personnel from engaging in political or ideological debates on social platforms without official permission.
“The government officials must obtain permission from the government to participate in various platforms of social media,” pointed out the government.
Furthermore, government personnel are prohibited from discussing material linked to ideological topics or the country on social media sites.
These procedures are intended to guarantee that government workers maintain a professional and unbiased demeanor in their online contacts.
Both the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments are making aggressive efforts to manage their employees’ digital presence and protect the integrity of official communication in the era of social media by applying these limits.
