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South Sudan lifted a suspension on social media platforms after five days, saying the closure had achieved its objective of removing graphic and inflammatory content.
The National Communication Authority ended the blockage of Facebook and TikTok, effective from midnight of January 27, Director General Napoleon Adok Gai said in a statement.
"We urge all our licensees with cache servers of Facebook and TikTok being hosted in South Sudan to actively participate in monitoring these social media platforms and to assist in reporting inflammatory and graphic content that should be pulled down,” he said.
South Sudanese refugees in Wad Medani in the neighboring Sudan were violently attacked earlier this month, resulting in the deaths of women and children. Videos of the violence were shared on social media, sparking retaliatory attacks, Gai said when the ban was first announced last week.
Telecom providers MTN South Sudan Ltd. and Zain South Sudan both said customers would now be allowed to access social media platforms on their network again.
