Smartphone use has been partially banned in Afghanistan — Afghanistan International
The leader of the Taliban, the group in power in Afghanistan, Haibatullah Akhundzada, has imposed a ban on the use of smartphones by Taliban members and government officials. The restriction applies to officials at various levels and is part of a broader tightening of internal digital control regulations.
Military courts announced the order and are reportedly set to hold violators accountable. They have been tasked with ensuring “full compliance with the order and providing the Taliban leadership with guarantees of its implementation.”
In addition, a special list has been created containing the name, position, place of service, mobile carrier, and phone number of every person under surveillance.
A few days ago, the Taliban government’s Ministry of Education banned students from bringing smartphones to schools. Prior to this, the Minister of Higher Education called smartphones “one of the three main enemies of Muslims.” In October 2025, he informed universities and educational institutions that the use of smartphones is prohibited during working hours and on university campuses, and that only rectors and heads of educational centers may use mobile devices, according to Afghanistan International.
Earlier, Georgia introduced new rules for smartphone use in schools.
A French village also voted to ban the use of smartphones in public places.
