The South Sudan Republic made a decision to shut down all social media sites within the territory of the Republic.
Through the National communication authority of south Sudan republic, under the director General Napoleon Adok Gai, invoking the provisions section 9[g][f] and 34[6] of the national communication act 2012, the authority directed all the internet providers to block access to all social media accounts effective from the midnight of 22nd January 2025 for ninety days
Napoleon said that the decision was as result of the recent upheaval in Sudan that has exposed the south Sudanese population to unprecedented levels of extreme violence through social media posts.
It is alleged that South Sudanese refugees in We’d Medani located in the neighboring republic of Sudan, were subjected to violent attacks resulting in the deaths of women and children, subsequently captured in videos and shared on social media without any affections.
The authority further said that the ban may be lifted as soon as the situation is contained. It emphasized that the content depicted violated the laws of the land and posed a significant threat to public safety and mental health, especially the vulnerable group.
The regulator said its aim is to cultivate a safe digital environment in alignment that is with the legal framework and national values.
In recent days the new cabinet secretary for ICT received a backlash from Kenyans mostly on social media after threatening to shut down the social media for wrong use.
“Simply, let us be responsible. We do not want to think about switching off people because the capacity is there,” the CS stated.