A week after a two-day blackout, the Taliban announced new social media restrictions, blocking access to popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and X across Afghanistan.
NetBlocks, which monitors web access, confirmed the ban on social media, adding it was part of the Taliban's ongoing efforts to control the internet.
In addition to social media restrictions, network data show Afghanistan on Tuesday imposed a third round of internet shutdowns in Kandahar, with only limited service available to some state institutions.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said that filters have been applied to restrict certain types of content on social media platforms, according to the BBC.
The Taliban is blocking or controlling certain posts and social media apps, but they haven't explained what content is allowed or banned.
People in Kabul said they could no longer watch videos on their Facebook accounts, and access to Instagram was also limited.
A Taliban spokesperson said, "We hope this time there won't be any full ban on the internet. The filtering is almost applied for the whole county, and most provinces are covered now."
A man working in a government office in eastern Nangarhar province said he can open Facebook, but cannot see pictures or play videos and also mentioned that the internet is very slow.
Another person in southern Kandahar, who owns a private business, said his fibre-optic internet had been cut off since Tuesday. Mobile data from phones was working, but Facebook and Instagram were very slow, according to the report.
Last week, the Taliban government turned off the country's telecom networks without any explanation. The internet remained cut off for almost 48 hours. During this time, people couldn't make calls, send messages, or use online services.
The services were restored on October 1.
Afghanistan has a population of around 43.8 million, and most people rely on the internet for work, education, and communication. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, the country has already faced curbs on education and freedom of speech, according to local media.
