Tanzania shuts down access to X again, marking second blockade in under a year
Social media users in Tanzania may have faced restricted access to the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) following the administration's decision to shut down the service.
The Tanzanian government reportedly restricted access to the X platform (formerly Twitter), raising concerns about digital freedoms.
NetBlocks confirmed the disruption on May 20, 2024, indicating service providers nationwide blocked the platform.
Critics highlight increasing digital censorship in Tanzania, evidenced by its tightening regulations since 2017.
This marks the second time in less than a year that Tanzania has blocked access to the platform, raising ongoing concerns about digital freedoms in the country.
The internet observatory group NetBlocks confirmed the disruption on Tuesday, May 20, reporting that X had become inaccessible across major internet service providers in the country.
" Confirmed: Live metrics show X (formerly Twitter) has become unreachable on major internet providers in Tanzania," the group said in a statement posted online.
According to reports by Kenyans.co.ke, the shutdown may have been triggered by a cybersecurity breach involving the official X account of the Tanzania Police Force (TANPOL). Suspected hackers allegedly infiltrated t he account and used it to spread false information about President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
While the government has not publicly explained the decision, the move has once again raised serious concerns about digital censorship and the future of online freedoms in Tanzania.
Human rights advocates and press freedom groups have increasingly criticized the country's tightening grip on digital platforms, warning that such actions undermine free expression and democratic accountability.
Tanzania's long run with social media ban
Tanzania has, over the years, steadily expanded its control over digital spaces by imposing various restrictions on social media usage and online expression.
A key moment in Tanzania's tightening control over digital space came in 2017 with the passage of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, later amended in 2020 to criminalise content deemed obscene, hateful, or disruptive.
Ahead of the 2020 general election, the government blocked social media and messaging apps and restricted SMS use, further curbing online communication.
During this period, platforms considered essential and accessible—such as Twitter (now X), WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram—were either blocked or restricted.
In 2024, Tanzanian Internet Service Providers—including Airtel, Vodacom, Halotel, Tigo, and TTCL—blocked access to X (formerly Twitter), rendering the platform inaccessible nationwide and sparking renewed concerns over digital freedom.
The move followed police claims that opposition party CHADEMA was using Zoom to coordinate protests involving small groups targeting offices and police stations.
Earlier this month, the government intensified its enforcement of the 2017 online content law by shutting down over 80,000 websites, social media accounts, blogs, and other platforms. While authorities cited the protection of children's mental health, critics saw it as the country's largest and most troubling digital purge yet.
This pattern reflects a broader continental trend. Internet shutdowns have become increasingly frequent across Africa.
In 2023 alone, sub-Saharan Africa lost an estimated $1.74 billion due to government-induced internet disruptions. The region recorded 114 shutdowns across 23 countries in 2022, 50 in 21 countries in 2021, 93 in 21 countries in 2020, and 134 in 22 countries in 2019.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
10 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
DOT again postpones enforcement of airline wheelchair protection rules
The DOT has once again delayed enforcement of regulations finalized late in the Biden administration that were designed to protect flyers who use wheelchairs. In a regulatory filing, the department explained that enforcement won't begin before Aug. 1. The delay will give the Trump administration more time to determine if the regulations are consistent with the law and administration policies to consider issues raised by airlines in a Feb. 18 lawsuit challenging the rules, the notice reads. What the regulations say The regulations clarify the definition of a mishandled wheelchair, making it easier for the DOT to fine airlines for not returning chairs to customers in the same condition in which they were received. The rules also require annual training for airline workers who load wheelchairs onto aircraft or who help transport flyers in wheelchairs. Workers would have to complete their initial training prior to performing wheelchair-related duties. In addition, the regulations stipulate stiffer requirements on airlines for replacing or repairing damaged wheelchairs and for reuniting travelers with lost or delayed wheelchairs. They also require airlines to provide prompt service for assisting travelers in wheelchairs with boarding, deplaning and making flight connections. The rules stipulate that airlines must prominently publish dimensions of the cargo hold, so that travelers can determine if their chair will fit onto an aircraft before they book. And they require airlines to reimburse travelers for any fare difference when a disabled flyer must pay more to book on a plane with large enough cargo holds. Regulations had been set to take effect in January In their February lawsuit, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United and the trade group Airlines for America (A4A) said that the regulations exceed the DOT's statutory authority. A4A said in a statement at the time that it has been supportive of some of the requirements and that the suit only seeks to curtail areas of overreach. The first of the new regulations had been scheduled to take effect on Jan. 16, with provisions gradually going into force from then through June of next year, when training-related rules were to go online. The Trump administration had previously announced that it wouldn't enforce the wheelchair rules until March 20 of this year.
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Newsweek
Democrat Postpones Town Hall, Says She Was on Minnesota Suspect's Hit List
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic Representative Hillary Scholten of Michigan is postponing a previously scheduled town hall, saying her name appeared on an alleged hit list from shooting suspect Vance Boelter. Newsweek reached out to Scholten's office via email on Monday for comment. What To Know "West Michigan, I want nothing more than to hear from you in person during town halls and other events," Scholten's team said on X, formerly Twitter. "However, after the events of this weekend, Team Scholten has decided to postpone our event tonight in Muskegon for the safety of everyone involved." "Please stay tuned for the new date, and I hope to see you all there. Keep yourselves safe and well, West Michigan," the post said. Politico reporter Nicholas Wu posted an additional statement from Scholten's office on X, which said, in part, "Nothing matters more to me than the safety and well-being of the people I serve. After being made aware that my name was on a list connected to the recent tragic shooting in Minnesota, my office has made the difficult decision to postpone our planned town hall in Muskegon." The town hall was originally scheduled for Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. Boelter is accused of the shooting deaths of Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. He is also accused of stalking numerous Democratic lawmakers. Numerous media outlets, including CNN, report that Boelter had a hit list of names, mostly Democrats, including Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Tina Smith. This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
Miami Herald
14 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Padilla arrest was a grave mistake by Kristi Noem
In Los Angeles, the Trump administration has been doing the right thing. Trump was right to call out the National Guard after protesters assaulted police, set their vehicles on fire, attacked unmanned Waymos and threatened to overwhelm local law enforcement. Trump is right in keeping his promise to make the removal of undocumented immigrants an overwhelming national priority. But there is no way that arresting United States Senator Alex Padilla is in the same vein. Yeah, he was rude in interrupting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's disquisition on 'alien removal operations' in Los Angeles. But if rudeness were a crime, Donald Trump would have faced the electric chair long ago. Every U.S. citizen has the right to question public officials about government actions, but United States Senators even more so. Their job, like all members of Congress, is literally to oversee and question the executive branch on behalf of the particular interests of their state or district. If a senator can't get a little frisky in raising questions, then nobody can. That's dangerous. The danger is not that one older guy gets roughly handled; Padilla's bruised arms and ego will recover. No, the danger is that peaceful protesters see that even staying within the bounds of the First Amendment gets you treated in exactly the same way as violent insurgents. Once they see that, some, maybe many, will join the protesters who are already bent on vandalism and violence. Once that happens, there are not enough National Guardsmen to bring order back to our cities. The fact that the Department of Homeland Security released an official statement falsely stating that Padilla didn't identify himself during his rude outburst only adds fuel to the fires of suspicion. Some normally level-headed conservative leaders such as Erick Erickson are dismissing the mishandling of Padilla as a 'stunt intended to go this way,' as if the predictability of Trump administration overreactions makes them ok. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson condemned Padilla's actions as 'wildly inappropriate,' as if the Trump administration and Republicans were sitting around eating crudites before a fancy French meal at which everyone will mind their manners. The mildest thing one could say about some of the Trump administration's actions is 'wildly inappropriate.' Accepting $400 million gifts from a foreign monarchy, appointing a quack as head of the Department of Health and Human Services and getting into Twitter brawls with former supporters are just some of the things Trump has done that might be called 'inappropriate.' Democrats were quick to rush to condemn the actions of federal officers. ''This is the stuff of dictatorship,' said Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, according to The New York Times. That's a bit much. Emperor Palpatine hasn't crushed the Senate. And Padilla was healthy and free enough afterward to address the assembled cameras. What is true is that if a United States Senator can be treated this way while his staff films the abuse of power, the Trump administration is on the threshold of authoritarianism. As Padilla said in a video released after his arrest, regular Americans who have done nothing more than speak can expect to receive much worse treatment from law enforcement when cameras are not around or the scrum makes figuring out what happened harder to do. That, too, will fuel escalation by protesters. The Trump administration, led by the president and Kristi Noem, need to step back. The treatment of Sen. Padilla will be a rallying cry and a recruiting tool for the rioters who threaten to get out of control. It was a mistake for Noem to allow this to happen.
