Authorities in Tanzania have implemented a ban on the platform X due to concerns regarding the distribution of pornographic content.
Gatekeepers News reports that Jerry Silaa, the country’s Minister of Information, Communications, and Technology, announced on Wasafi TV that the decision was made under the directive of President Samia Suluhu.
The shutdown aims to address content that contravenes Tanzania’s legal framework, cultural norms, and values.
“There are rules on what kind of content should be published on social media. X’s content policies went against Tanzania’s laws: pornography, content on same-sex relationships,” Mr Silaa said.
The minister stated that the clampdown was not limited to X alone, as it would be extended to other platforms that violate the country’s rules.
“It is not just X, even YouTube. If you try finding something and you can’t find it, know that it is the government enforcing compliance to protect consumers,” Mr Silaa stated.
Earlier in May, Ms Suluhu’s government blocked X after hackers compromised the Tanzanian police official X account, using it to spread fake news.
The hackers deployed the handle to spread fake news that the Tanzanian president was dead, amongst others.
