Ethiopia has lifted its ban on accessing popular social media platforms including Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, and YouTube after a period of over five months,
The blackout was initially implemented on February 9th of this year following tensions between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the government.
During the blackout, only individuals who had access to virtual private network (VPN) software were able to bypass the restrictions, albeit at the cost of additional data usage.
The conflict within the Orthodox Church emerged when certain archbishops from the Oromia region expressed their desire to establish a new synod, allowing services to be conducted in the Oromo language. This development resulted in violent clashes. However, a mediation effort by the government has helped to ease the tensions and restore stability.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the authorities regarding the decision to lift the ban.
The move to lift the ban comes after a period of mediation and efforts to address the underlying issues that led to the conflict.
With the restoration of access to these social media platforms, individuals in Ethiopia can once again engage with online communities, share content, and connect with others across the globe.