Workers on the freelance website Fiverr have reported that the site may have had “internet disruptions” that have rendered numerous accounts “unavailable” in Pakistan; rights groups have expressed regret over this development. A group of internet service providers said yesterday that there had been a major countrywide slowdown in services as a result of the government’s increased efforts to monitor internet traffic.
Internet users have conjectured that the government established a firewall to monitor and control users, which is why there were problems. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) refuted the claim that a firewall was the root of the problem. Users experienced trouble accessing social media sites last week, even though X (previously Twitter) has been blocked nationwide for nearly six months due to “security concerns.”
Three Fiverr users told Dawn.com that they received a notice from the platform saying that their accounts were “unavailable” to customers. This appears to be an attempt to stop users’ profiles from getting bad reviews because they haven’t been active due to potential internet outages. A user from Faisalabad on Fiverr, however, claimed she never received such a notification, suggesting that the platform’s activity might only be available in specific cities.
Punjab-based medical content writer Sajid Hussain told Dawn.com, “Last week, I received notification on my Fiverr account from Fiverr support telling me that my gigs are made unavailable to clients across the world because Fiverr came to know that there is internet interruption in Pakistan.”
“We understand that there may be internet disruptions in your area that might make it harder to keep your routine going,” Fiverr wrote in an email that Hussain shared images of on August 1. “We’re going ahead and temporarily setting your availability status and gig(s) as ‘unavailable’ to ensure that any unexpected order delays won’t hurt your ratings,” the statement continued. The message made it clear that the freelancer’s ratings will not suffer as a result of Fiverr’s move.
The notification pointed customers to a tutorial on turning their availability back on in the unlikely event that they were not experiencing any internet problems at all. Hussain claimed to be a doctor who also did part-time work on Fiverr as a medical content writer. He claimed to have personally known numerous acquaintances, peers, and coworkers who are doctors but are unemployed and rely on Fiverr for their income.
Hussain asserted that despite Fiverr’s assurances to the contrary, the recent internet outage has negatively disrupted connectivity, particularly when someone goes offline on Fiverr, which damages the impression and reduces orders from consumers. Thus, yes, it had an impact on me as well. Additionally, Islamabad student Aiza Shahid informed Dawn.com that she got a notification saying that her “account status is considered ‘unavailable’ due to [her] region.”
Shahid bemoaned, “This abrupt change has put me in a difficult situation because I rely on Fiverr not just for extra income but also for critical financial support.” She said, “I’ve been able to use Fiverr without any regional restrictions for the past three years, so this sudden unavailability was both unexpected and disruptive.”
Shahid emphasized that her revenue from Fiverr was not only additional money but rather a necessity, referring to the platform as her “lifeline” because it allowed her to pay for her schooling and utilities. The student stated, “My productivity and ability to provide services to clients could be greatly impacted by not being able to access Fiverr, which could harm my reputation and future opportunities.”
