Tag: online

  • Mobile banking grows by 100% during FY22 in Pakistan

    Mobile banking grows by 100% during FY22 in Pakistan

    According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Annual Payment Systems Review, the size of the digital payments ecosystem witnessed massive increase over the previous fiscal year. The report reveals that internet banking expanded by 51.7 per cent to 141.7 million users in FY22, while mobile phone banking increased by 100.4 per cent to 387.5 million.

    There were 15 million P2P (Person-to-Person) Raast users registered, who carried out 7.9 million transactions worth Rs102.1 billion.

    The report also notes that during FY22, there were 8.4 million and 12.3 million users of mobile phones and internet banking, respectively.

    In terms of transactions, mobile phone banking increased by 100.4 per cent to 387.5m, while internet banking grew by 51.7 per cent to 141.7m during the year.

    In 2021–2022, internet banking transactions had a value of Rs10.2 trillion, increasing 81.1 per cent. The volume of e-commerce transactions increased by 107.4 per cent to 45.5 million, and the value increased by 74.9 per cent to Rs106 billion.

    A total of 32,958 point-of-sale devices were installed during FY22, which caused the network to grow by 45.8 per cent to 104,865. The number of online retailers registered with the banks increased over this time from 3,003 to 4,887. The nation’s ATM network expanded by 4.8 per cent during the course of the year, totaling 17,133 machines.

  • WhatsApp will soon let you hide online status for more privacy

    WhatsApp will soon let you hide online status for more privacy

    The Last Seen time in WhatsApp can currently be hidden from the public, but your contacts can still see it when you’re back online.

    It appears that the most popular messenger will soon have the option to hide your online status, which has been long desired.

    You can hide your online status from everyone in WhatsApp’s most recent beta version, according to WABetaInfo. This is fantastic if you’re being chased on WhatsApp and don’t want your bothersome relatives or friends bugging you all the time.

    Over the past few months, the messaging service owned by meta has been testing a tonne of incredible new features.

    You will have two options to choose from with the new feature. You have the option of making your online status public if you want it to function like Last Seen. This means that you have the option of letting anyone see your online activity, just your contacts, just your contacts with a few exceptions, or nobody at all.

    Although the screenshot is of iOS, according to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is also working on bringing the feature to Android and WhatsApp Desktop.

    It is unknown when the feature will go live because it is still in development.

  • Most common women harassment platforms are WhatsApp, Facebook: Research

    Most common women harassment platforms are WhatsApp, Facebook: Research

    A Pakistani research-focused NGO, Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) revealed its annual report on the five-year cyber harassment helpline.

    According to the DRF, WhatsApp and Facebook were the most commonly utilised apps in Pakistan to harass women. Its helpline for combating online abuse and harassment will reach a five-year milestone this year.

    In the last five years, the online harassment helpline has received over 11,681 cases. In 2021, there were 4,441 cases received, with an average of 370 instances each month. The months of March and September saw a spike in reports, while the remainder of the year was quite constant.

    About 68 per cent of the calls were from women, 30 per cent were from males, and the remaining 2 per cent were from gender minorities. WhatsApp was the most widely mentioned platform for harassment, followed by Facebook.

    In 2021, 893 complaints were related to blackmail, and 727 incidents on the helpline involved the use of non-consensual photos, according to the research.

    Executive Director of DRF Nighat Dad stated that “the pace at which the cases of cyber harassment are increasing is alarming and must serve as a wake-up call for us to take appropriate action to make the internet a safe and equal space for everyone”.

    Pakistan’s first specialised helpline against cyber violence and harassment, the cyber-harassment helpline, was opened in December 2016. The toll-free number (0800-39393) is available Monday through Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and includes email and social media help.

    Via: Geo

  • Gen Z is more likely to buy products promoted by influencers, celebrities

    Gen Z is more likely to buy products promoted by influencers, celebrities

    People born between 1997 and 2012 are known as Generation Z. They are not just digitally aware, but real digital natives who have grown up immersed in digital networking.

    Gen Z has been identified as being nimble, active, and bold. Every generational shift leads to a transformation in demand and expectations.

    A research study conducted by Meta reveals how Gen Zers interact with marketers and invest their online time.

    Social media – more than a picture uploading platform

    Over two-thirds of Gen Zers are surveyed on Facebook and Instagram, according to Comscore research. By time spent on mobile and desktop, these two applications list third among the top ten digital sites.

    For many people, social media is more than a basic way to keep in touch with friends and loved ones. It’s where people can spend time discovering their passions and interacting with the brands they care about. Gen Zers are delighted to see advertisers on Meta platforms, according to a Meta-commissioned study. In fact, 60 per cent of those questioned claimed they follow a company on social media.

    Gen Zers crave engagement with favourite brand

    Gen Z craves a genuine engagement with the brands they adore. According to a Meta study, 41 per cent of Gen Zers surveyed stated they feel more personally connected when brands share content that makes them feel like they’re a member of the brand’s group.

    The yearning to be a part of something and to know what’s going on can go a long way: According to the survey, 29 per cent of respondents feel a stronger bond to businesses that provide an inside glimpse into their activities. Gen Zers also highly value real chats with brands, with more than a quarter of those polled expressing a desire to be able to ask product experts questions directly through social networks.

    Gen Zers fancy writing feedback

    Following a brand on social media is a method for 60 per cent of Gen Zers surveyed to engage more deeply with their interests. One of the most common methods for people to engage with their passions is through stories shared on social media by companies and influencers, according to 43 per cent of those polled.

    They do, however, want a more engaging experience: As a way to communicate with brands, 38 per cent of respondents love completing product feedback questionnaires. 

    Impact of involving celebrities, influencers

    The key to establishing a stronger bond between businesses and Gen Z is through influencers and artists. According to Meta data, 79 per cent of Gen Zers have made a purchase as a result of watching a creator’s content. Influencers let customer feels more attached to and satisfied with the businesses, products, and services they offer.

    Read more: Pakistanis will get slow Internet on Thursday

    Luckily for marketers, 35 per cent of those polled indicated that creator material caused them to promote a brand, product, or service.

    Role of social justice

    Advocating for social justice and ethnic diversity is critical for Gen Zers. According to a second Meta research of interactional analytics, Gen Zers used Instagram to express their views on social justice issues, with discussion volume increasing by 300 per cent year over year since May 2020. However, deeds speak louder than speech for this age.

    According to Meta study, Gen Z consumers expect brands to work with influencers from a variety of racial and cultural backgrounds. The study also found that more than half of Gen Zers polled learn about new businesses through content from influencers from multiple origins.

  • Fiverr Gig: ‘Professional’ prayer at Data Darbar for Rs 4,616 ‘burn oil lamp’ for Rs 18,463

    Fiverr Gig: ‘Professional’ prayer at Data Darbar for Rs 4,616 ‘burn oil lamp’ for Rs 18,463

    A screenshot of a Fiverr Gig is making rounds on social media in which the seller has posted a gig to pray at Data Darbar and other shrines in Lahore in exchange for money. Thee silver package which costs Rs 4,616, had the following description, “I will pray professionally for you in the city of Data Ganj Bakhsh Lahore.” He also gave two days delivery time.

    The seller also offers a diamond package for Rs18,463. In the silver package the seller is offering the following services, “I will pray, burn oil lamp and distribute meal to the needy, in place of you, in your desired shrine.

    Social media has reacted to the Gig in funny way, with someone calling it a “new business idea.

  • ‘I am ashamed’: Shireen Mazari responds to daughter’s tweet on PTI govt

    ‘I am ashamed’: Shireen Mazari responds to daughter’s tweet on PTI govt

    Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari’s daughter, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in a tweet earlier today.

    “If the country was to be run by magic, then why is the money of this nation being wasted on such a large cabinet,” Imaan tweeted.

    “The country is being ridiculed due to witchcraft and you don’t want people to talk about those who practice magic. This will not happen,” she added.

    Shireen Mazari responded to her daughter’s tweet for criticising the government without any proof. “I am ashamed you would resort to such low personalised unsubstantiated attacks esp since as a lawyer u shd know without any proof hurling such accusations is defamation. When all substantive issue-based criticism fails this level of a base personal attack is plain shameful,” the minister tweeted.

    Last week, Maryam Nawaz had also mentioned the use of “magic”.

    “If your magic is so successful, then why don’t you use it for the good of the people?”

  • Court temporarily restricts Careem from calling its drivers ‘captains’

    Court temporarily restricts Careem from calling its drivers ‘captains’

    A civil court in Rawalpindi has restricted Careem, a private ride-hailing service, from calling its drivers ‘Captains’ after an airline pilot filed a petition against it, reports Dawn.

    Labeeb Ahmed, a pilot by profession who filed the complaint, says he has faced “humiliation and disgrace” over sharing his job title with the ride-hailing company’s staff.

    Furthermore, he stated that due to this, he felt intimidated and argued that the title of captain should either be reserved for a pilot or an officer of the armed forces.

    In his defence, he added that due to this use of the term “captain” for Careem drivers, he has to bear the jokes as people often confuse his job title with Careem captains. This has shattered his confidence very much.

    Civil Judge Rawalpindi Rao Ejaz Ahmed Awan restricted Careem for not using this word until the next hearing and ordered the company to submit its response by July 31.

  • How to get your Covid-19 vaccination certificate

    How to get your Covid-19 vaccination certificate

    As the coronavirus vaccination drive is speeding up in Pakistan, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has allowed restaurants to operate at 50 per cent indoor capacity for vaccinated individuals only.

    One of the most common questions on people’s minds these days is how do I get my vaccination certificate? Here is how you can get it:

    Step 1

    The first step is to visit the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) website and enter the details of your computerised national identity card (CNIC). The certificate’s fee is Rs100 that can be paid through your debit or credit card.

    The certificate can also be downloaded if you have received only your first shot of the vaccination or you can visit a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centre to get your vaccination certificate.

    Step 2

    In the next step, enter the required details, i.e. your name and nationality.

    Step 3

     Enter your payment details.

    Step 4

    After paying the amount, you can download a receipt, check your information and then your certificate will be ready to download.

  • Targeting women

    Targeting women

    A large group of Pakistani women in media have released a joint statement about organised trolling, abuse and harassment they face online. The statement says, “Vicious attacks through social media are being directed at women journalists and commentators in Pakistan, making it incredibly difficult for them to carry out their professional duties.”

    The statement further says that online attacks are instigated by government officials and then amplified by a large number of Twitter accounts, which declare their affiliation to the ruling party.

    They asked the government to restrain its members from repeatedly targeting women in the media, send out a clear message to all party members, supporters and followers, to desist from launching these attacks, whether directly or indirectly and, hold all such individuals within the government accountable and take action against them. #AttacksWontSilenceUs, the hashtag used by the women who released the statement, trended at No 1 on Twitter.

    Targeting women in media is easy as there are only about five percent of women who are journalists in Pakistan. They not only face vile abuse related to their gender, but they also face a barrage of allegations that they take ‘lifafa’ or are paid by Opposition parties. These bullying tactics are used to either silence them and/or discredit them. Last year, a report titled ‘Hostile Bytes – a study of online violence against women journalists’ by Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD) said that 95 percent of women journalists feel online violence has an impact on their professional choices, while 77 percent self-censor as a way to counter online violence. In the recent statement by women media practitioners, self-censorship was identified as a problem as well as hacking attempts of their social media accounts. The mental toll it must take on those who are at the receiving end of this constant abuse is another factor that leads to self-censorship.

    Targeting women is a worldwide phenomenon. In neighbouring India, the trend is quite similar. Amnesty International published a report earlier this year, which said that women politicians in India face a shocking scale of abuse on Twitter. “Women are targeted with abuse online not just for their opinions – but also for various identities, such as gender, religion, caste, and marital status.” It has also been seen how women journalists who do not toe the official government line in India are viciously trolled by the ‘Modi Bhakts’ on social media platforms, especially Twitter.

    The National Assembly’s Human Rights Committee has invited women media practitioners who released the statement to come and highlight their issues in a meeting on Tuesday. Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari also lent her support to the women media practitioners in her tweets. It is important that these issues are raised at the right platforms so that Pakistani online spaces can be safe for women from all spheres of life. A civil discourse is the need of the hour instead of online abuse. We hope that those who are behind such campaigns can actually get past their political differences and ensure that online spaces are used for meaningful discourse instead of bullying.

  • Man booked for selling Bonelli’s eagle online

    Man booked for selling Bonelli’s eagle online

    A man was arrested for selling a Bonelli’s Eagle on Facebook in Abbottabad on Tuesday.

    The man, identified as Fawad Sadeeq Sheikh, had posted pictures of the precious bird on his Facebook account after which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department arrested him by conducitng a raid.

    As per reports, the eagle has been detained by the department while a fine of Rs40,000 was imposed on the man.

    According to the department, an officer disguised himself as a customer and contacted Sheikh who was selling the bird for Rs25,000. The officer called him for a meeting and arrested him.

    A case has been registered under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act, 2015.