The Taliban restrict local media, and now also the internet, while leveraging the same platforms to spread their own messages. On September 15, 2025, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada announced the shutdown of fiber-optic internet across Afghanistan. Many media professionals fled, more than 400 media outlets shut down, and women were banned from working, including in media. Soldiers have been photographed with female foreign social media influencers and shared these images online, while simultaneously restricting Afghan women’s voices in local media. This raises a crucial question: Why restrict local media while leveraging the same platforms for international propaganda?