Citizens support 5pc tax on social media influencers: survey

ISLAMABAD: A majority of Pakistani people support bringing social media influencers into the country’s tax net but believe the government should adopt a balanced approach that protects small digital creators and encourages the growth of the digital economy, according to findings from a survey conducted by the Press Network of Pakistan. The findings of the nationwide online PNP survey titled “Social Media Influencer Tax in Pakistan,” provided public insight into the federal government’s decision to impose a 5pc withholding tax on income earned by social media influencers through platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Conducted after the proposal in the Finance Bill 2026, the survey received responses from 45pc male and 55pc female participants representing various age groups, diverse backgrounds and cities across Pakistan. The findings indicate that while respondents generally support the principle that digital content creators should become part of Pakistan’s formal tax system, there is equally strong demand for tax fairness, exemptions for small creators and government incentives to help the country’s rapidly growing digital economy. Participants expressed concern that taxation should not discourage Pakistan’s young digital entrepreneurs. The statement that the proposed tax could discourage young people from pursuing careers in digital content creation received an average rating of 3.34 out of 5, suggesting mixed but noticeable concern regarding its possible impact on future digital content creators. Survey participants identified YouTube as the platform most likely to be affected by the Social Media Influencer Tax, with 53.8pc of respondents selecting it, followed by 24.6pc who believed the tax would impact all major social media platforms equally. Instagram accounted for 9.2pc, TikTok for 6.2pc, while Facebook and blogs/websites each received 3.1pc. These findings suggest that the public views YouTube as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s creator e