An official announcement issued by the Ministry of Communications and Technology (MOCT) in Somalia revealed that the authority will prohibit Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet services. The MOCT August 20 report illustrated that the banned social media and gambling sites diminished the quality of life of young adults in Somalia.
Addressing the local newsroom, the minister of MOCT, Jama Hassa Khalif, argued that the restriction of Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet in the region aimed at preserving the strong culture of the Somalians. The minister stated that the restricted social sites encouraged bad habits among the youth.
Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet Banned in Somalia
Mr.Khalif chaired a meeting on “telecommunication and internet security on social media” attended by National Communications Agency and leading telecommunication companies. At the Sunday meeting, the minister explained the dangers of Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet to the young people. He lamented that exposure to the banned site had increased the mortality rate.
Additionally, the restrictions imposed by MOCT on crypto-friendly social media sites aimed at minimizing propaganda and inappropriate content. The minister lamented that the applications mentioned above were used by illicit groups and terrorists to share rumors and inappropriate content.
The official confessed that occasionally members of Al Shabaab posted images and unlawful activities on Telegram and TikTok. The negative effect of the banned application obliged the MOCT to instruct local firms to stop supporting Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet.
Impact of Social Media on Youths
According to Mr.Khalifa, from August 24, the sites mentioned above will cease operation in the East African country. He added any entity or individual caught violating the new rules would face legal action. The official highlighted that the easy accessibility to Telegram, TikTok, and 1XBet had triggered high usage of social media sites in Somalia.
News concerning the ban of the most downloaded application has sparked mixed reactions among Somali tech enthusiasts. The crypto-native community expressed concerns on the impact of the latest MOCT directive on crypto adoption. Even though the country is exploring ways to push for the mainstream adoption of Bitcoin, the MOCT directive aims to restore Somalians’ moral behavior.
A few months ago, most African countries expressed concerns on the security measures of TikTok. In the argument, the policymakers argued that TikTok created negative influences among the youths. Also, the regulators complained that the Telegram messaging tool encouraged unlawful activities.
Race to Uphold Cultural and Religious Values
Shockingly, the MOCT announcement mirrors a recent directive issued by the Iraq authority. On August 14, the Ministry of Telecommunication in Iraq announced plans to ban Telegram due to data security and privacy concerns.
Before this, regulators in Brazil banned Telegram after the neo-Nazi group was suspected of using the messaging application to conduct a school attack. The Brazillian incident exposed Telegram to a $186 penalty for failing to cooperate with the neo-Nazi investigations.
At the beginning of August, the Kenyan National Assembly reviewed an appeal seeking to ban TikTok. Previously the Kenyan policymakers had filed a report urging the regulators to restrict TikTok due to inadequate regulation and inappropriate content.
In their submission, the lawmakers argued that TikTok promoted violence, hate speech, and other immoral behaviors. The legislators underlined that TikTok erodes Kenyan cultural and religious values. In addition, the regulator mentioned that exposure to 1XBet has resulted in addiction to gaming sites among the youths.
All trademarks, logos, and images displayed on this site belong to their respective owners and have been utilized under the Fair Use Act. The materials on this site should not be interpreted as financial advice. When we incorporate content from other sites, we ensure each author receives proper attribution by providing a link to the original content. This site might maintain financial affiliations with a selection of the brands and firms mentioned herein. As a result, we may receive compensation if our readers opt to click on these links within our content and subsequently register for the products or services on offer. However, we neither represent nor endorse these services, brands, or companies. Therefore, any disputes that may arise with the mentioned brands or companies need to be directly addressed with the respective parties involved. We urge our readers to exercise their own judgement when clicking on links within our content and ultimately signing up for any products or services. The responsibility lies solely with them. Please read our full disclaimer and terms of use policy here.