‘Intentionally restricted’: Taliban blocks access to social media in Afghanistan

On Wednesday (Oct 8), Afghanistan ‘intentionally restricted’ the access to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and other social media platforms. The sites were intermittently accessible on smartphones. Internet watchdog Netblocks was quoted on AFP, “The restrictions are now confirmed on multiple providers; the pattern shows an intentional restriction.”

This came a week after the Taliban had imposed a ban on a 48-hour nationwide internet and phone outage. Afghans settled and working across the world were unable to reach their families. In the past, the Taliban has expressed concern over the consumption of online pornographic content. This time around, no clarity, but just snapping of the line took place.

People affected

In this time and age where everybody uses the internet for quotidian tasks, this decision has affected roughly 43.8 million people, i.e., the population of the country. Afghanistan has already been reeling under restrictions after the Taliban takeover in 2021. From education to freedom of speech, a lot has been curbed.

3G and 4G shutdown

According to news agency Reuters, private news channel Tolo News had warned its viewers of the disruption to its services. It said officials had set a deadline of a week for the shutdown of 3G and 4G internet services for cell phones. The call would leave only the older and almost redundant standard 2G connection active.