PAKISTAN : YOUTUBE GREAT *YEARNS

YouTube provides $5 million ad grants to Pakistan. Aid to help government share data on Covid-19 prevention.

YouTube - world largest video-sharing website owned by Google - has announced to provide $5 million to Pakistan in aid grants to help the government share information about preventing spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, YouTube Chief Executive Officer [CEO] Susan Wojcicki appreciated different Pakistani ministries' close collaboration with Google and YouTube and different initiatives to help the public find official information, keep people safe and enable compliance to social distancing amid the pandemic.

While appreciating the ministries support, Wojcicki said she wanted to offer YouTube's continued assistance during the Covis-19 situation and update the prime minister about the work Google and YouTube have been doing to support Pakistani citizens and businesses during the pandemic.

''We are also providing $5,000,000 in aid grants to help the Government of Pakistan share information on how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other measures to help local communities,'' Wojcicki said in the letter dated April 29, which emerged on Saturday.

In addition to working with Pakistan government on urgent Covid-19 response measures, she said, YouTube is prepared to assist in the development of a credible and global consistent digital policy and regulatory framework, including with respect to online content and personal data protection.

''We look forward to participating in any public consultation processes on these and other regulatory issues. We recognize the enormity of the challenge at hand and stand ready to support your efforts.

''We look forward to participating in any public consultation processes on these and other regulatory issues. We recognize the enormity of the challenge at hand and stand stand ready to support your efforts.

Wojcicki informed Imran Khan that ''finding trustworthy content is especially critical'' as news is breaking every minute, adding that YouTube will make sure to deliver accurate information for the users.

''We will continue to quickly remove videos that violate our policies, including those that discourage people from seeking medical treatment or claim harmful substances have healthy benefits.

''YouTube is constantly monitoring new threats and will continue working closely with industry and governments to address disinformation.''

The World Students Society thanks The Express Tribune.