{
  "id": 14222461,
  "title": "Azerbaijan blocks access to TikTok, Instagram, and X amid growing hijab protests",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/azerbaijan-blocks-access-to-tiktok-instagram-and-x-amid-growing-hijab",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T14:49:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/azerbaijan-blocks-tiktok-instagram-and-x-amid-growing-hijab-protests"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Azerbaijan has imposed strict restrictions on popular social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X, following a surge in protests against the regulation of hijabs in local schools. This blackout, now impacting multiple internet service providers, has been instituted amid growing citizen demonstrations, making it difficult for protesters to share footage and organize online. The government's move to block these platforms appears to be a strategic attempt to suppress the flow of information and stifle dissent. This latest digital blackout is Azerbaijan's fourth in the past six years, with internet monitor NetBlocks confirming the blockage across multiple service providers. The recent incident marks the first time an internet disruption in the country has been directly triggered by protests, rather than broader political turmoil. This pattern of digital censorship places Azerbaijan 14th in Asia for internet restriction incidents, alongside countries known for heavy-handed internet controls such as China, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Globally, internet censorship is escalating at an alarming rate, with 81 new restrictions implemented across 21 countries last year, a 29% increase from the previous year. Asia leads the world in digital blackouts, responsible for 56 new restrictions impacting approximately 2.2 billion people. The trend highlights a concerning rise in governments using internet shutdowns as a tool of control, threatening free speech and privacy on a global scale.",
  "summary": "Azerbaijan has restricted access to TikTok, Instagram, and X amid ongoing protests over hijab regulations in schools, highlighting a growing global trend of government-mandated internet censorship.",
  "key_points": [
    "Azerbaijan blocks TikTok, Instagram, X amid hijab protests.",
    "Internet blackout impacts multiple service providers.",
    "Fourth digital censorship in six years, first protest-triggered."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}