Somalia has issued a ban on the social media platforms TikTok and Telegram, as well as the gambling site 1XBet, in an effort to curb the spread of indecent images and propaganda.
The Communications Minister, Jama Hassan Khalif, stated that these applications have been used by terrorist and immoral groups to disseminate harmful content and misinformation.
This marks the first official attempt by the Somali government to shut down social media platforms. The government is intensifying its efforts to reclaim territories occupied by the al-Shabab militant group, with a goal to defeat them by the end of the year.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1459360957742956549
Al-Shabab has been known to use Telegram and TikTok for their activities.
Internet service providers in Somalia have been given until August 24 to comply with the ban. While TikTok declined to comment, Telegram stated that it consistently removes terrorist propaganda and actively moderates harmful content.
Content creators and individuals who earn income from these platforms are concerned about the ban, as it disrupts their source of livelihood.
