The Somalian Government has outlawed TikTok, Telegram, and 1XBet in a move that it claims is geared at curbing indecent activities and extremist propaganda. The authorities issued a public statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), ordering internet service providers (ISPs) operating in the country to close access to the above platforms.
In the statement signed by the Minister of Communications and Technology in Somalia, Jama Hassan Khalif, the ISPs have until Thursday (August 24) to carry out the ban. Failure to comply would result in legal action, the statement explained.
As mentioned, this order intends to reduce the growing trend of indecent content and extremist propaganda shared on TikTok and Telegram respectively. Somalia is deeply religious, a fact that explains the government’s motive for wanting an end to the proliferation of immoral content on TikTok.
Regarding the Telegram ban, it’s worth noting that the East African country is in a fierce battle with the Al-Qaeda-backed Al-Shabab, a terror group. The government’s statement claimed that the terror group often used Telegram to release its videos, press releases, and audio interviews with its commanders. By restricting access to Telegram, the Somalian government hopes to gain an upper hand in the war that has spanned many years.
Regarding 1XBet’s ban, anyone can argue that the reason is that gambling is currently illegal in Somalia. According to the Sharia law, casinos, lotteries, and sports betting are classified as gambling.
Meanwhile, the ban has drawn both praise and criticism from X users. Under the tweet, @Saido0319 and @abass_harmonic said “Mashallah that is a fantastic step forward” and “Good move!” respectively. Criticizing the order, @CabdifataaxMax wrote “highest level of totalitarianism! Without banning these platforms, you can restrict or sensor all types indecent/immoral activities.”
Read also: Nigeria lost $82.7m to internet shutdown last year, so it can’t afford another one
Somalia represents a growing trend of internet and social media restrictions in Africa
Many governments across Africa have, at some point, limited access to social media for diverse reasons. In Senegal, the government claimed it was to prevent the opposition party, PASTEF (Patriotes Africains du Sénégal Pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité) from spreading propaganda.
In Guinea, the reason was also political as the internet shutdown order was to avoid an anti-government protest. Meanwhile, the Mauritanian government, on March 6, disrupted internet access after a prison break incident.
Like Somalia, the above countries’ authorities have been heavily criticized for these decisions. It’s worth mentioning that the UN considers social media access a human right. And while the decision to restrict social media access may be well-intended, it has many adverse effects.
Among them is the economic factor. Many businesses operate on social media thanks to the high volume of users which translates into potential customers. Businesses lose money whenever there’s a disruption and the economy suffers too. Consider Nigeria where its Twitter shutdown cost the country 546.5 billion.
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
