A week after a two-day blackout, the Taliban announced new restrictions on social media in Afghanistan, blocking platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X. NetBlocks, which tracks internet access, confirmed the ban.
In addition to limiting social media, the government imposed a third round of internet shutdowns in Kandahar. Some state offices still had limited access, but most users experienced severe slowdowns or complete cuts.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said the filters target certain types of content, but officials have not clarified which posts are allowed or banned. People in Kabul reported they could no longer watch videos on Facebook, and Instagram access was restricted.
A Taliban spokesperson said, “We hope this time there won’t be a full ban on the internet. The filtering now covers most provinces.” In Nangarhar, a government worker could access Facebook but couldn’t view pictures or videos due to slow internet. In Kandahar, a business owner said his fibre-optic connection was cut, while mobile data remained extremely slow.
Last week, the Taliban turned off the country’s telecom networks for almost 48 hours without explanation. The country, home to around 43.8 million people, relies heavily on the internet for work, education, and communication. Since 2021, the Taliban has restricted education and freedom of speech.
