On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Tanzania announced it had blocked access to the social media platform X due to the presence of pornographic content, following the hacking of government-linked accounts two weeks prior. Last year, X stated it would allow “consensually produced and distributed” adult content, a policy Tanzania’s Minister of Information, Jerry Silaa, said violates national regulations. He noted that X hosts “pornography and homosexuality,” which he claimed are contrary to Tanzania’s laws, culture, customs, and traditions.
The block, implemented on May 20, 2025, coincided with the hacking of a police account that falsely announced the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. On the same day, the Tanzania Revenue Authority’s YouTube account was compromised with pornographic content. The shutdown occurs amid criticism of a government crackdown on the opposition ahead of October 2025 elections, with social media restrictions reported during past election periods.
Silaa stated that Tanzania is monitoring other online platforms for content breaching national laws, adding, “If you notice in any social media, not necessarily X, that you search for a content on YouTube or other networks and it’s unavailable, then know that the government is working to protect consumers.”
Source: African Publicity
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