Sudan blocks social media as protests continue

Sudanese authorities have blocked access to popular social media platforms used to organise and broadcast nationwide anti-government protests triggered by an economic crisis.

Sudan has been rocked by near-daily demonstrations over the past two weeks with protesters calling on President Omar al-Bashir who took power in 1989, to step down.

Northeast African country whose government tightly controls traditional media as the internet has become a key information battleground.

The head of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service, Salah Abdallah, told a news conference on Dec. 21 that: “There was a discussion in the government about blocking social media sites.”

Internet users in the country say Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp have only been possible through use of a virtual private network (VPN).

According to local media, about 13 million of Sudan’s 40 million people use the internet.