Digital literacy, the ability to effectively use and understand digital platforms like social media, websites, and mobile apps, is essential. Everyone using a mobile phone or the internet should develop digital literacy skills to safeguard their privacy. In countries such as Pakistan, internet use is deeply integrated into society. Whether they are schoolchildren, shopkeepers, or street workers, about 75% of the population have access to the digital world via mobile phones. However, roughly 40% of the population is illiterate, making them vulnerable to scams.
Reading and writing skills differ from understanding the digital world. Many elderly and educated individuals are also falling victim to scams due to a lack of digital literacy. It is a crucial responsibility of the government to promote education on how to use digital platforms and how to avoid digital scams. Public awareness campaigns are necessary.
Initiatives at the National Level
To align with international digitisation standards, Pakistan’s government and other organisations have initiated efforts to enhance digital literacy across the country. Those initiatives are as follows:
Digital Youth Hub
The Digital Youth Hub was established in March 2025 through a partnership with UNICEF. The platform aims to empower Pakistani youth by fostering entrepreneurship, education, digital skills, and innovative thinking. It provides them with a better understanding of the internet and modern technology, as well as awareness of their digital rights. Ultimately, it teaches young people how to safeguard their privacy on various online platforms.
Digital Learning Program
‘The Citizens Foundation’ started this program in their schools to inculcate critical thinking and digitalisation in the students. All the modern digital tools are incorporated into the daily routine of students. This step provides the needed digital exposure to children at a very young age, and they know how to use the digital platforms for positive means.
The E-Pakistan Initiative
It was initiated by the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives as a part of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2024-29). This platform aims to provide better information and communication technology services to the citizens of Pakistan. Major countries in the world are shifting their economies to IT, AI, and robotics. This shift compels countries like Pakistan to support their entrepreneurs and digital startups. According to the report of ‘Payoneer’, Pakistan is ranked in 4th position for its freelance services worldwide. This shows the talent and hard work of Pakistani youth in the IT sector.
DigiSkills Pakistan
DigiSkills is the platform launched by the Ministry of IT and Telecom in collaboration with Virtual University Pakistan, which offers free online courses related to information technology, like digital marketing, freelancing, graphic design, etc. These courses are introduced for students, as well as women at home. This platform aims to empower Pakistan’s youth digitally, enabling them to compete in the international market. A total of 4,892,732 people have been enrolled in various courses to date, and the majority of them have begun providing their services worldwide.
National Media and Information Literacy Strategy
In May 2025, UNESCO organised an event along with the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), Media Foundation 360, and the Digital Media department at the University of Punjab. In this event, policymakers from different institutions gathered and emphasised the presence of media and digital literacy in universities, offices, and all other places. All the participants mutually decided to develop this platform to introduce the ethical boundaries in online presence.
The Importance and Impacts of these Initiatives
The government of Pakistan introduced all these platforms to equip the citizens of Pakistan with digital awareness. The introduction of digitalisation in schools is shaping the young minds positively. These students, when they grow, will be well aware of their online privacy and rights. They would then play a positive role in society for the betterment of people. The future is all about technology, and today’s children are tomorrow’s policy makers. So, they need to have better knowledge of technology.
The progress in information and communication technology (ICT) services in Pakistan is generating huge revenue. It is playing its part in a country’s economic growth. In Pakistan, there are millions of internet users, and a large number of people among them are contributing to Pakistan’s economy through online businesses, freelancing, and social media. The platforms introduced by the government are providing free courses to people irrespective of their educational level. If any person doesn’t have a conventional education but has little knowledge of digital platforms and technology, they can earn after getting basic guidance on digital earning.
In today’s technology-driven world, the online presence is crucial to being informed about what is happening in the world. Now social media has become a marketing tool for every business or startup owner and entrepreneur. The person not using technology for their betterment is lagging because the world has become fast-paced, and people have to get used to this fastness to survive in this world. The social media presence of a person is important. The initiatives taken by the government would be successful only if people take part in these programmes and make themselves aware of the technological advancements in this changing world.
Recommendations
As internet and social media use have grown, so too has the risk of violating individuals’ privacy. Social media now sets societal trends and often exerts a negative influence. While technology, AI, and digitalisation are not inherently harmful, their impact depends on how they are used. These platforms can be powerful tools for education and raising awareness about societal issues. For example, hashtags can promote awareness of breast cancer or, conversely, be used for character assassination or propaganda. It is up to us to decide what trends we want to shape for future generations.
In a world increasingly driven by technology and AI, it’s vital to teach young people to use these tools positively and for societal benefit. Failing to promote positivity online could lead to negative usage by future generations. Therefore, it is our responsibility to educate youth on protecting their digital privacy and avoiding online crimes and negativity.