Tanzania has blocked access to social media platform X due to its sharing of pornographic content, according to the
information minister, Jerry Silaa.
He stated that this content goes against the country’s laws and cultural values.
Reports indicate that access to X has been limited over the past two weeks amid rising political tensions and a police account hack, although a complete shutdown has not occurred.
A Tanzanian rights group criticized Silaa’s remarks as indicative of a troubling trend of digital repression ahead of the upcoming elections.
The Legal and Human Rights Centre noted that X, previously Twitter, experienced similar restrictions before the 2020 elections, raising concerns about digital openness in Tanzania.
Other platforms like Clubhouse and Telegram are also inaccessible without VPNs.
The rights group expressed concern over the government’s contradictory stance, as officials continue to use X despite the ban.
Silaa linked the ban to X’s previous decision to allow consensually produced adult content, stating that it violates Tanzania’s online ethics guidelines.
NKONKONSA.com
