Authorities in Afghanistan are temporarily blocking WhatsApp and Telegram social media services in the country, citing security concerns, officials confirmed recently.
An official at the Afghan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, ATRA, told VOA the social media tools will be suspended for 20 days. The decision follows a request from state security institutions.
News agency report, said that the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a formal announcement is expected Saturday.
ATRA has ordered telecom companies to shut down the services November 1, according to a copy of official instructions appearing in Afghan media.
Social media users have complained of technical problems while using the two services in recent days.
The controversial move has sparked criticism of the Afghan government, and it is being slammed as an illegal act and an attack on freedom of expression.
The outage prompted the telecom regulator to issue a statement Friday, saying the ban is meant to test “a new kind of technology” in the wake of users’ complaints.
It went on to defend the restriction, saying WhatsApp and Telegram are merely voice and messaging services and their temporary suspension does not violate the civil rights of Afghans. The government is committed to freedom of expression, the ministry added.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.