Why Afghans Are Smashing Their Smartphones

Afghanistan's bureaucracy is being told to show up to work without the device most of the world now considers essential. The Taliban government has ordered all civil servants, security forces, teachers, and other officials to stop bringing smartphones to their jobs, with violators warned their phones will be smashed and they could face punishment, according to a Supreme Court directive confirmed by multiple officials, per the New York Times. Bureaucrats are already complaining—anonymously—that the ban is hampering routine work.

The order, issued without a public explanation, follows calls from religious scholars and judges to curb what they described as online "pornography and corruption." Videos spreading on social media show a Taliban official reading the order off of his smartphone and bureaucrats smashing their own devices to ensure compliance. The order indicates this is an initial step, meaning a wider ban might eventually extend to other parts of society. As the Guardian reports, the Taliban is concerned about leaks and protest videos used to call into question government accounts.