Senegal shuts down mobile internet after banning TikTok access
Earlier this week, Senegal began banning TikTok on all mobile networks. The country then went on to cut off all mobile internet.
Bloomberg quoted Senegalese Communications Minister Moussa Bocar Thiam as saying that the ban was imposed to curb misinformation from forces that are destabilizing the country. The move was in response to days of violent protests that have left dozens dead.
Senegal’s decision had an immediate impact on people’s lives. In most African countries, including Senegal, smartphones and mobile connections are the main means for people to access the Internet, replacing computers and fixed lines.
Senegalese people, unable to pay for groceries or gas with their digital wallets, have flocked to ATMs to withdraw cash.
In Senegal, social media apps like TikTok and WhatsApp have become the go-to places for people to get the latest news. People who relied on social media to avoid street protests are now forced to confront them.
Senegal is not the first country to cut off the internet. Ethiopia has also restricted access to some websites and the internet for years due to domestic unrest.
Elon Musk acquires domain name AI.com
AI.com, one of the most valuable domains in artificial intelligence branding, has just officially fallen into the hands of billionaire Elon Musk.
The domain name AI.com previously belonged to OpenAI - the company that owns ChatGPT. But now, it has been transferred to X.ai - an artificial intelligence research company recently founded by Elon Musk.
According to Mashable , AI.com was purchased by OpenAI in February 2023, with a price that could reach millions of dollars due to the rarity of the two-character domain name.
Owning the domain name AI.com gives Musk an advantage in controlling and developing websites related to artificial intelligence.
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