Afghans rejoice as internet returns after Taliban blackout
After weeks of being cutoff from the digital world, Afghans celebrated as the internet was restored following a blackout imposed by the Taliban. The blackout, which began on August 15th, left millions of Afghans without access to the internet, severely limiting communication and access to information.
The Taliban, who regained control of Afghanistan in mid-August, claimed that the internet shutdown was necessary for national security reasons. They argued that it was essential to prevent the spread of “false information” and maintain control over the narrative in the country.
However, the move was widely condemned by the international community, with many viewing it as a violation of the Afghan people’s rights to freedom of expression and access to information. Human rights groups and activists also raised concerns about the impact of the blackout on basic communication services and the ability of journalists to report on the situation in the country.
Following intense pressure, the Taliban lifted the internet blackout, allowing Afghans to reconnect with the outside world. Many took to social media to express their relief and joy at being able to communicate with loved ones and access important information once again.
While the restoration of the internet is a positive development for the people of Afghanistan, concerns remain about the Taliban’s commitment to upholding human rights and civil liberties in the country. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely as the Taliban consolidates its grip on power in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sources Analysis:
– The Taliban: The Taliban has a history of suppressing freedom of expression and controlling the flow of information, making their motives in imposing the internet blackout suspect.
– Human rights groups: Human rights groups have a vested interest in upholding freedom of expression and access to information, making their condemnation of the blackout predictable.
Fact Check:
– Fact 1 – Verified: The internet was indeed restored after a blackout imposed by the Taliban.
– Fact 2 – Unconfirmed: The Taliban claimed the blackout was necessary for national security reasons, but this cannot be independently verified.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Afghans rejoice as internet returns after Taliban blackout”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.