On the evening of Tuesday, October 7, multiple sources revealed that the Taliban had restricted access to several major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. According to some sources, the decision was taken during a meeting between the Taliban's top leadership and the governor of Kandahar and regional chiefs.
Residents of several provinces, including Kabul, Kandahar, Balkh, Parwan, Samangan, Faryab, Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan, confirmed that access to these platforms has been blocked and they can only log in using virtual private networks (VPNs). WhatsApp and YouTube remain accessible, they added.
A source in Kabul said Facebook and Instagram are currently restricted on mobile data networks, but users can still access them via fiber optic Wi-Fi. The source added that even before the new restrictions, TikTok already required a VPN to be accessed on Wi-Fi and mobile data networks.
The Taliban has yet to issue an official statement on the restrictions. However, the move comes shortly after reports emerged that authorities had abandoned plans for a nationwide internet shutdown, opting instead to target specific platforms.
Internet services were briefly disrupted in Kunduz province on Monday night and restored the next morning. Sources said the network outage was ordered by the Taliban provincial governor.
According to people familiar with the matter, the Taliban has also met with Internet service providers recently to discuss technical measures to filter or block social media platforms.