The people of Tanzania can no longer access X (formerly known as Twitter) in the country after the Tanzanian government officially blocked access to the social media platform
The government cited the increase of pornographic content as the primary reason for the ban. The decision was announced by Tanzania’s Information Minister Jerry Silaa.
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According to Minister Silaa, the content shared on X violates Tanzania’s national laws, culture, customs, and traditions.
This action follows X’s policy update last year, which permitted the sharing of “consensually produced and distributed” adult content, including explicit sexual material and same-sex pornography—a move Silaa stated breached Tanzania’s online ethics guidelines.
Tanzanians have reported restricted access to the platform over the past two weeks, though a total shutdown has not yet been fully implemented.
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The decision has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and activists, who argue that the ban is less about pornography and more about stifling free speech and political dissent.
This is not the first time the social media platform has been shut down in the country. In 2020, X (then known as Twitter), was shut down before the general elections.