Somalia orders blocking of TikTok and Telegram following street protests in the capital

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Somalia orders blocking of TikTok and Telegram following street protests in the capital

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – After a day of street protests that rocked the capital, Mogadishu, the Somali government has unveiled its intention to block access to TikTok and Telegram, two prominent social media platforms widely used for sharing

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MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – After a day of street protests that rocked the capital, Mogadishu, the Somali government has unveiled its intention to block access to TikTok and Telegram, two prominent social media platforms widely used for sharing videos and communication.

On Sunday, the country’s telecommunications minister conveyed the directive to internet service providers, instructing them to implement the block on both platforms by the latest, August 24.

Somalia to block social media platforms Tiktok and Telegram pic.twitter.com/iiN8GEz8Af
— Horn Observer (@hornobserver) August 20, 2023

Minister Jama Hassan Khalif elucidated, "In our effort to intensify the fight against terrorism and counteract the proliferation of unethical content, we have issued a mandate for the blocking of TikTok and Telegram applications on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 11:30 PM.”

He emphasized that non-compliance with this order will result in definite legal repercussions.

Telegram Messenger, a cloud-based messaging service with global accessibility, offers encrypted chats, video calling, VoIP, file sharing, and an array of features. Meanwhile, TikTok, owned by the Chinese ByteDance, provides a platform for video hosting, appealing to users worldwide.

Both applications have gained popularity within Somalia, particularly among the youth, media personnel, and even politicians. TikTok’s allure stems from its capacity to monetize content, allowing young creators to generate income from their videos.

This directive to block TikTok and Telegram surfaces amidst escalating criticism and pressure against the Mogadishu-based government.

On Sunday, the city witnessed widespread street protests after members of the Jareer Weyne clans took to the streets to voice their displeasure over the detention and deadly attack on the home of an army general on Friday night, resulting in more than ten casualties.

It’s noteworthy that in October of the previous year, the Ministry of Information issued a directive prohibiting access to forty local media platforms and several social media applications, including Telegram.

The move garnered criticism from journalist associations, culminating in the arrest of Abdalle Mumin, the Secretary-General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate, following a raid on the the union’s office.