The Taliban’s vice and virtue office in Kandahar Province, which is the hub for their leader, has barred YouTubers and other social media content creators from producing videos, further restricting online expression in the country, according to local sources.
The Taliban’s vice and virtue director, Abdul Karim Faqir, announced the ban in a two-hour meeting with a group of YouTubers and performers on Wednesday, sources from the Taliban’s directorate said.
Faqir warned that violators would face punishment, the sources added.
After the meeting, several content creators posted farewell videos on social media, saying it would be their last. One of them cited Article 17 of the Taliban’s morality law, which was ratified in August 2024 and prohibits images depicting living beings.
The decision is the latest in a series of restrictions on artistic expression and online activity. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have shuttered independent media outlets, blocked entertainment platforms and imposed sweeping limits on cultural life.
