Service blocking
TikTok, X (Twitter)
In the midst of civil unrest, there are reports that government authorities have banned access to TikTok and Twitter/X. Both of these sites appeared to show symptoms of site blocking since the start of February.
- Total Duration 16 days
Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)
- Population
- 105,789,731
- UN Classification
-
- Least Developed Country
View full country profile for Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)
Local impact
With thousands fleeing the fighting and fighting happening inside the city, the Internet is more important than ever. Internet shutdowns and service blocking during civil conflict impact citizens' ability to get accurate information from government sources and emergency services when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or in other countries to let them know they are safe or to get help.
Related documentation
We have not yet been able to find official documentation regarding the specific service blocking of TikTok and X/Twitter. An article on ACTUALITY.CD stated this (translated from French to English):
The Higher Council for Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC), contacted by ACTUALITY.CD, said that it had no precise information on the origin of the blockages. The regulatory body promises to communicate as soon as it knows more about the nature of this interruption: technical failure or deliberate decision by the authorities. On the side of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technologies (PTNTIC), some sources mention a technical breakdown. When asked about the exact nature of the problem and the reasons why only certain networks are affected, they indicate that an official communication should be made during the day.
We are still waiting to see if official statements are published. (Unfortunately, we have found that official statements are often not issued for service blocking.)
Other supporting information
Data from the OONI Measurement Aggregation Toolkit (MAT) shows that Tiktok and Twitter/X appear to be the major services being blocked, while others continue to be available:
A specific test on OONI for TikTok shows that it was likely blocked from 1 February until at least the time of publication (3 February). The 3 February test showed signs of DNS tampering.
Data from the OONI Measurement Aggregation Toolkit (MAT) shows that Twitter/X was likely blocked from 1 February until at least the time of publication (3 February). The 3 February test for Twitter/X showed signs of DNS tampering.
