Tanzania has announced the blocking of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, citing the spread of pornographic content as the primary reason. The country’s Information Minister, Jerry Silaa, explained that the content shared on X violates Tanzania’s laws, culture, customs, and traditions. The ban aligns with the government’s broader effort to regulate online content in accordance with national ethics guidelines.
Over the past two weeks, Tanzanians have noticed increasing restrictions on access to X, especially following political unrest triggered by the hacking of the official police account, which was used to post explicit material and false claims about the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Alongside X, popular platforms such as Clubhouse and Telegram have become largely inaccessible without the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
The Tanzanian rights group Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) condemned the government’s actions, describing the shutdown as part of a troubling pattern of digital repression ahead of the October presidential and parliamentary elections. LHRC pointed out that X had faced a similar ban during the 2020 elections, raising serious concerns about the openness of Tanzania’s digital space. The group also criticized government officials for continuing to use X despite the public ban, calling this inconsistency confusing and damaging to the government’s credibility.
Minister Silaa linked the ban to X’s 2024 policy change allowing the sharing of consensually produced adult content, including same-sex pornography content deemed illegal under Tanzania’s online ethics standards. He noted that other platforms like YouTube have also been selectively restricted.
The restrictions follow a tense political atmosphere marked by the detention of opposition leader Tundu Lissu on treason charges and crackdowns on regional human rights activists who came to support him. Reports have emerged of activists, including Kenyans and Ugandans, being detained and subjected to abuse while in Tanzanian custody.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took over after the death of John Magufuli in 2021, was initially seen as a reformer but now faces accusations of authoritarianism as she campaigns for her first elected term. The government maintains that Tanzania remains a stable democracy and promises free and fair elections. However, these recent digital crackdowns highlight ongoing challenges to political freedom and human rights in the country.
