South Sudan has taken drastic measures to curb the spread of violent content on social media, announcing a nationwide shutdown of platforms like Facebook and TikTok for up to 90 days.
The move comes after disturbing videos allegedly showing the killings of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan’s El Gezira state sparked riots and deadly revenge attacks.
According to Napoleon Adok, Director General of the National Communications Authority, the block was implemented to protect the public from “unprecedented levels of extreme violence” spread through social media posts.
The shutdown affects customers of mobile operators MTN South Sudan and Zain.
The violence erupted last week, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 Sudanese nationals in South Sudan’s capital Juba and other cities.
Youths targeted shops and homes owned by Sudanese nationals, looting and vandalizing properties in retaliation for the alleged involvement of Sudan’s military and allied groups in the killings.
The Sudanese army has condemned the violence, attributing it to “individual violations” in El Gezira. South Sudan’s government hopes the social media shutdown will help maintain public order and safety.
However, this move may come at a significant economic cost, as African countries lost $1.5 billion to internet and social media shutdowns in 2024.
