Tanzania's government has announced the shutdown of the social media platform X, citing the proliferation of pornographic content as a violation of the nation's laws and cultural values, as concerns grow over digital repression leading up to elections.
Tanzania Blocks Access to X Over Pornography Concerns
Tanzania Blocks Access to X Over Pornography Concerns
The East African nation takes a firm stand against explicit content on social media platforms.
The government of Tanzania has officially announced a ban on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, primarily due to the spread of pornographic content. Information Minister Jerry Silaa stated in a local television interview that the content on the platform is inconsistent with the East African country's "laws, culture, customs, and traditions." Access to X for Tanzanians has reportedly been restricted over the past two weeks, coinciding with rising political tensions and a recent hack of the police account that displayed explicit material.
The government's move comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the country gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections in October. The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), a Tanzanian rights organization, has labeled Silaa’s comments as indicative of a “troubling pattern of digital repression.” They drew parallels to a similar shutdown of Twitter in the lead-up to the 2020 elections, expressing concern about the diminishing openness in Tanzania's digital space.
The LHRC highlighted the dilemma of government officials continuing to utilize X while simultaneously advocating its ban, leading to public confusion regarding the government's stance. Besides X, access to other popular platforms, such as the social audio app Clubhouse and the messaging service Telegram, has also been restricted unless users employ Virtual Private Networks (VPN).
In his statements, Silaa mentioned X's earlier decision to permit "consensually produced and distributed" adult content as a key reason for the ban, asserting that the platform allowed explicit sexual material, including same-sex pornographic content, in violation of Tanzania's online ethics guidelines.
In a troubling series of events this month, the official police account was hacked, displaying pornographic content while falsely announcing that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had died. This incident occurred alongside a crackdown on human rights activists from Kenya and Uganda who had traveled to Tanzania to support the main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu. Lissu, accused of treason for advocating a boycott of the upcoming elections unless democratic reforms are implemented, maintains that the charges against him are politically motivated.
Amid these tensions, reports have emerged detailing disturbing accounts of abuse from detained activists, including sexual assault allegations. Human rights organizations have called for thorough investigations into such claims, while President Samia insists that her government will not tolerate foreign activists interfering in Tanzania's affairs.
While Samia was initially seen as a reformer following her predecessor's death in 2021, critics argue that her recent actions reflect the same authoritarian tendencies as her predecessor. As the nation approaches the upcoming elections, the government insists that Tanzania functions as a stable democracy and that the electoral process will be free and fair.
The government's move comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the country gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections in October. The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), a Tanzanian rights organization, has labeled Silaa’s comments as indicative of a “troubling pattern of digital repression.” They drew parallels to a similar shutdown of Twitter in the lead-up to the 2020 elections, expressing concern about the diminishing openness in Tanzania's digital space.
The LHRC highlighted the dilemma of government officials continuing to utilize X while simultaneously advocating its ban, leading to public confusion regarding the government's stance. Besides X, access to other popular platforms, such as the social audio app Clubhouse and the messaging service Telegram, has also been restricted unless users employ Virtual Private Networks (VPN).
In his statements, Silaa mentioned X's earlier decision to permit "consensually produced and distributed" adult content as a key reason for the ban, asserting that the platform allowed explicit sexual material, including same-sex pornographic content, in violation of Tanzania's online ethics guidelines.
In a troubling series of events this month, the official police account was hacked, displaying pornographic content while falsely announcing that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had died. This incident occurred alongside a crackdown on human rights activists from Kenya and Uganda who had traveled to Tanzania to support the main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu. Lissu, accused of treason for advocating a boycott of the upcoming elections unless democratic reforms are implemented, maintains that the charges against him are politically motivated.
Amid these tensions, reports have emerged detailing disturbing accounts of abuse from detained activists, including sexual assault allegations. Human rights organizations have called for thorough investigations into such claims, while President Samia insists that her government will not tolerate foreign activists interfering in Tanzania's affairs.
While Samia was initially seen as a reformer following her predecessor's death in 2021, critics argue that her recent actions reflect the same authoritarian tendencies as her predecessor. As the nation approaches the upcoming elections, the government insists that Tanzania functions as a stable democracy and that the electoral process will be free and fair.
