kfm.co.ug
@kfm Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:01:17
Somalia orders ban on TikTok, Telegram
By AFP Somalia’s government announced Sunday a ban on social media platforms TikTok and Telegram and an online betting app, saying they were being used by “terrorists” to spread propaganda. The move comes ahead of a much anticipated second phase of a military offensive against Al-Shabaab, the Islamist militant group that has been waging a bloody insurgency against the central government in Mogadishu for more than 15 years. In a statement, the ministry of communications and technology ordered internet service providers to implement the ban by August 24 or face unspecified legal action. “In a bid to accelerate the war and elimination of the terrorists who have shed the blood of the Somali people, the minister of communication and technology […]
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@kfm Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:44:48
Congolese arrested after grenade explodes in Nakulabye
Congolese arrested after grenade explodes in Nakulabye Police say they have arrested a 39-year-old Congolese national after a hand grenade exploded from his house in Nakulabye, Rubaga Division on Tuesday last week. Police spokesperson Mr. Fred Enanga says no family member was injured. The suspect, who has stayed in Uganda for the last four years reportedly admitted to having smuggled the grenade into the country. “No family member got injured. The family had stayed in the area for 4 years after migrating as refugees from North Kivu,” Enanga said in a statement. “A safety pin, a green lead and a spoon, soil samples were retrieved for further analysis. The findings show the hand grenade exploded from the scene, to which […]
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matookerepublic.com
@matookerepublic Tue, 22 Aug 2023 04:55:28
Congolese national arrested after hand grenade exploded in his room
A Congolese national identified as Basake Ndakulye, aged 39, has been arrested by the Police in Kampala for further questioning after a hand grenade exploded at his residence in the Katende zone of Nakulabye, Rubaga Division. The incident occurred on August 15, around 4:30 am. No family members were harmed during the explosion. The Police […]
The post Congolese national arrested after hand grenade exploded in his room appeared first on Matooke Republic.
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@observer Tue, 22 Aug 2023 04:40:23
Somalia orders TikTok, 1xBet shut down
Somalia’s Ministry of Communications and Technology has ordered the country’s internet service providers (ISPs) to turn off access to social media platforms; TikTok, Telegram, and the gambling site, 1xBet.
The minister of Communications and Technology, Jama Hassan Khalif, gave the order in a statement issued Sunday, citing security and fighting terrorism as reasons for blocking the companies. The statement said constant violations by terror groups using social media sites affected the safety and stability of society.
In addition, the ministry said it’s working to protect the moral conduct of the Somali people when using communication and internet tools that have affected the way of life and have increased “bad practices," according to the statement.
“You are being ordered to shut down the applications mentioned above by Thursday August 24, 2023 at 11:30 evening, at the latest,” Khalif said in the statement. “Anyone who does not follow this order will face clear and appropriate legal measures.”
The al-Shabaab militant group regularly uses Telegram’s messaging service to publish its videos, press releases, and posts audio of interviews with their commanders. Al-Shabaab often posts news about its attacks within minutes on Telegram and websites. The group regularly creates new accounts as soon as their Telegram accounts are taken down.
TikTok is believed to be the fastest growing site in Somalia. It is used by young people and even government officials. Last week, TikTok posted a statement saying it has hosted a series of workshops with various stakeholders in Somalia aimed at keeping the platform safe.
“In Somalia, our team removed over 280,000 videos during the same period that violated its guidelines,” the statement said.
“We detected and removed 98.7 per cent of these violating videos before they were reported. Our proactive approach showcases our commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant platform for our users.”
The ministry’s move was criticized by social media users. Abdulkadir Ali Mohamud who is popularly known as Bilaal Bulshaawi, with 1.2 million followers on TikTok said the order will not be implemented.
“It’s not going to work because the [internet] companies have the power to allow this shut down,” he said. “It’s not in the interest of the companies to stop the services because it’s the most used application and the customers use a lot of data.”
Another prolific social media user who did not want to be identified described the government’s move as a “Ridiculous knee-jerk reaction to a serious issue.”
“Rather than create policy around how to target immoral social media accounts, they have settled for a blanket ban,” he said. “A normal government would have engaged the platforms in question and established communication protocols to target specific accounts. There are hundreds of Somali TikTok celebrities that make decent living from TikTok who now have to look elsewhere.”
Khalif defended the move in an interview with VOA Somali, insisting the sites are “hurting the state.”
“These sites are misused, they have created security problems, they are used to destroy the security and society, they promote immoral behavior,” he said.
“Due to this great need to ban them it is the right time to take this decision.”
Somali authorities did not give the number of people who are using betting sites in the country, but said they believe the sites are repatriating large amount of money out of the country. Khalif said betting on 1XBet is even distracting government soldiers who are fighting defending the nation.
“We know the use is expansive,” he said.
He said the government does not know the people behind these sites in the country.
“That kind of money is not Halal (permissible), no one taxes it, no one knowns what they are and where they come from; and it’s crime.”
Last year, the Somali government ordered internet service providers to block al-Shabaab websites, but some of the sites remain accessible globally to date.
“The federal government of Somalia recognized as crime the dissemination of terrorist messages and encouraging their acts of brutality - by any media or person on social media. Action will be taken according to the law to any[one] who failed this resolution,” the government statement said at the time.
The ministry of Communication and Technology said it has launched a public awareness campaign to warn the public about the dangers of communication and the Internet, which makes it easy to spread news and unfounded information that harms innocent people or incites the community.
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