Global internet monitor NetBlocks has reported that access to major social media platforms is currently restricted in Afghanistan.
“Metrics show that social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are now banned on multiple providers in #Afghanistan,” it posted on X on Wednesday.
The Taliban had already banned access to TikTok in 2022.
Social media users first began commenting on the restrictions late Monday, the local broadcaster said Ariana News told,
Ariana News said some users were reporting complete outages of access in some areas, while others had slow internet connections or intermittent service.
A resident of the capital Kabul and a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in the north of the country, told German news agency dpa that they are unable to access Instagram and Facebook without a VPN.
Virtual private networks allow users to bypass Internet restrictions.
Some social media platforms are still accessible
According to dpa, several other social media platforms such as WhatsApp and X are reportedly still operational.
The AFP news agency said its journalists in several provinces of Afghanistan were unable to access social media platforms on their mobile phones.
AFP said journalists also reported very slow internet speeds.
The Taliban has not officially confirmed the sanctions, according to reports by multiple news agencies.
According to GSMA, the global association of mobile phone operators, more than half (51%) of Afghanistan’s estimated population of 44 million have a mobile connection.
The Taliban ordered a complete internet ban last week
The Taliban completely suspended internet and telecommunication services for about 48 hours in late September.
The suspension from September 29 to October 1 left the country almost completely cut off from the outside world.
Rights groups have criticized the internet shutdown, saying it is having a serious impact on people across the country, especially women and girls.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery