FBR’s social media monitoring sparks backlash over privacy
Influencers call politics ‘futile’, claim social media posts create ‘fabricated’ images of wealth KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) move to track potential tax evaders through social media has sparked widespread criticism in business and social circles. The tax authority reportedly collected data on thousands of users and issued notices to those flagged for “unexplained wealth”, sparking outrage among traders, financial experts and online influencers who called the move invasive and misguided. FBR officials claim that the measure is part of a well-established “lifestyle-based” assessment method, where visible assets and spending patterns are looked at to measure undeclared income.
