Taliban Impose Restrictions on Social Media in Afghanistan

Sources from several provinces of Afghanistan told R.M. Media that the Taliban has imposed restrictions on social media platforms across the country, including the capital, Kabul. According to the sources, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter) are no longer accessible without using a VPN.

The sources added that, starting from Wednesday morning, October 8, the Taliban implemented special filters aimed at limiting the content shared on social media platforms.

According to these sources, it is now impossible to access Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and several other social networks without a VPN, effectively cutting off millions of users.

The restrictions have reportedly disrupted commercial, banking, and governmental services, creating widespread difficulties and triggering strong public reactions.

It is also reported that the internet speed of all mobile networks in the country has been reduced from 4G and 3G to 2G, making it nearly impossible to upload photos or even text posts.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has confirmed that certain restrictions have been placed on parts of social media platforms, but did not provide further details about the nature or extent of the measures.

It is worth noting that just a week ago, the Taliban completely shut down all internet and telecommunications services across Afghanistan for three days, which cut off communication and brought businesses, banking services, airports, customs operations, and trade to a standstill.