Afghanistan completely shuts down the internet – and not even VPNs can help

Afghan woman with her face obscured by her phone in the hand.

• Beginning on September 29, 2025, Afghanistan has shut down the internet completely
• Authorities justified the order as a way to "prevent immorality," but experts believe it comes to silence dissent and restrict communications
• VPNs cannot bypass these restrictions, with satellite internet and foreign SIM cards being the only viable options

Afghans are currently living in digital darkness as Taliban authorities cut citizens off from the rest of the world in a bid to "prevent immorality."