KRG orders internet companies to provide family-friendly bundles for online safety

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday asked the internet providers to offer family-friendly packages for users in order to ensure the online safety of the citizens, according to a decree. 

In the decree signed by Minister of Transport and Communications Ano Jawhar, the internet companies are asked to provide “family packages”, in which all harmful content is banned such as “disrespecting the religious symbols and books, pornography, sale and purchase of firearms, gambling, electronic money, advertising for cigarettes, alcoholic drinks and narcotics as well as encouraging domestic violence, child and animal abuse”.

The decision is made to “preserve the high social norms of the Kurdish society” as well as mitigate the risks posed by being online, the decree noted.

The new internet offer has to be at a reasonable price and the speed shall be better than normal bundles, the ministry said.

The companies also have to “intensely promote” the new offer on through advertising in order to encourage the public to use the package, it added.

The new decision has to be implemented within a month otherwise, the ministry would take legal measures against the companies that do not follow the new order.