TikTok, Telegram, and an online betting site 1XBet were all ordered to be blocked by the government of Somalia on Sunday, August 20. The administration's justification for this move was that terrorists were spreading propaganda through these platforms.
According to Bloomberg, this is the first time the government has issued an order to take down certain applications in the name of its attempt to combat terrorism.
Apparently, App Ban Is One Way to Combat Terrorism
The decision was made in preparation for the second phase of the military attack against the violent Islamist Shebab, who have been engaged in a deadly uprising against the central authority in Mogadishu for more than 15 years.
In a report by Africanews, the Ministry of Communication and Technology explained in its statement that it had issued an order to internet providers instructing them to disable access to the three platforms by August 24. If the order was not carried out, the ministry said it would take legal action, although the nature of which was not defined.
According to the ministry, terrorist organizations and those preaching immorality utilize the platforms TikTok, Telegram, and the 1XBET site to propagate violent pictures and videos and to mislead public opinion.
The ministry believes that if they are made illegal, the struggle against the terrorists "who have spilled the blood of the people of Somalia" would be quickened.
One social media user in Somalia who has a significant following is named Bilaal Bulshawi. He has shown disrespect for the order given by the government and said the authorities do not have the ability to restrict platforms like this, ABC News reported.
Bulshawi said, "Even if it tries, we will utilize every means available to make our applications functional." This includes the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, which may conceal a user's location to avoid censorship or location-based viewing limitations.
A Violent Conflict Between Somali Army and Shebab Militant Group
Alongside local clan militias and with the backing of African Union soldiers and American air attacks, the Somali army has been engaged in an operation against the Shebab, a group connected with al-Qaeda, since August 2022.
Shebab militants were forced out of Mogadishu in 2011, but they continue to stay securely established in wide rural regions, and it is from these places that they manage to carry out assaults against security and civilian targets.
Africanews reported that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud may soon declare the second phase of the military attack against the Shebab in the southern part of the nation. Previously, Mohamoud has vowed to clear the country of Islamist militants.
