Public favors taxing digital creators but calls for exemptions for small influencers and policies that encourage Pakistan’s growing digital economy.
A nationwide survey has found that a majority of Pakistanis support bringing social media influencers into the country’s tax system, while urging the government to adopt a fair and balanced approach that protects smaller content creators and promotes the expansion of the digital economy.
The findings emerged from an online survey conducted by the Press Network of Pakistan (PNP), which examined public opinion on the federal government’s proposal to impose a 5% withholding tax on income earned by social media influencers through platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The survey, titled “Social Media Influencer Tax in Pakistan,” was carried out after the announcement of the proposal in the Finance Bill 2026.
According to the survey, respondents generally agreed that digital content creators should become part of Pakistan’s formal tax framework.
However, participants stressed that taxation should be implemented fairly, with exemptions for small-scale creators and supportive measures that help the country’s rapidly expanding digital content industry flourish.
The survey attracted responses from people across Pakistan, representing different age groups, professional backgrounds, and cities. Female participants accounted for 55% of respondents, while 45% were male, providing a broad snapshot of public sentiment regarding the proposed tax policy.
Despite backing the idea of taxation, many respondents expressed concern that excessive taxation could discourage young people from pursuing careers in digital content creation.
On a five-point scale, the statement that the proposed tax could negatively affect aspiring digital entrepreneurs received an average score of 3.34, indicating moderate concern about its impact on Pakistan’s emerging creator economy.
Participants also shared their views on which social media platforms would be most affected by the proposed tax. More than half (53.8%) identified YouTube as the platform likely to experience the greatest financial impact, reflecting its dominant position in Pakistan’s digital content ecosystem.
Meanwhile, 24.6% of respondents believed the tax would affect all major social media platforms equally. Instagram was selected by 9.2% of participants, followed by TikTok at 6.2%, while Facebook and blogs or websites each received 3.1%.
Released on June 27, 2026, the survey provides timely insight into public opinion as Pakistan moves toward introducing the proposed 5% withholding tax under the Finance Bill 2026.
The findings suggest that while the public broadly supports taxing digital earnings, there is strong demand for policies that ensure tax fairness, safeguard small creators, and encourage innovation in the country’s fast-growing digital economy.
