In normal circumstances, people are free to use whatever they want to (from a legal aspect, obviously). There are some instances of certain countries banning the use of a near everyday activity/mobile app. An example would be the ban of social media by: China; Egypt; Iran; North Korea; Saudi Arabia; Syria and Turkmenistan.
However, circumstances can arise where a person/people do or say something that will get them outright banned by a country/ies. An example would be Katy Perry.
A dress from a 2015 performance in Taiwan resulted in Perry's ban from China two years later. According to Page Six, the singer was refused a visa to enter the country for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai. The dress in question included sunflowers — a symbol associated with anti-Chinese protesters. She also waved Taiwan's flag, similarly upsetting Chinese officials.
In terms of sport, a few cricketers have been banned from using Instagram in India. On Friday (2 May), India blocked Instagram accounts of leading current and former Pakistani cricketers including: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Wasim Akram; intensifying its digital crackdown on influential personalities across the border in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The list of restricted accounts also includes Test captain, Shan Masood, pacers, Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah, batter, Imam-ul-Haq, all-rounder, Shadab Khan and former stars, Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi.
Users attempting to access their Instagram page from India are met with the message: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."
"We received a legal request to restrict this content. We reviewed it against our policies and conducted a legal and human rights assessment. After the review, we restricted access to the content in the location where it goes against local law," added the note from Instagram.
However, the accounts of World Cup-winning captain, Waqar Younis and former skipper, Misbah-ul-Haq, have not been withheld yet. Additionally, the account of Pakistan's former Prime Minister and cricket captain, Imran Khan, is also now inaccessible in India.
Pakistan's Olympic gold-winning javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem's Instagram account was blocked on Wednesday.
These restrictions come in the wake of the 22 April terror attack near the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, where 26 people — mostly tourists — were killed and several others injured in a targeted shooting.
In the wake of the deadly attack, the Indian government has taken steps to block access to Pakistani social media accounts, citing national security concerns.
Earlier this week, several Pakistani YouTube channels were also restricted in India for "disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies".
That ban impacted the likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali and Shahid Afridi.
Twenty-five tourists - 24 Indians and one Nepali citizen - and a local man; were killed in the terror attack at Baisaran - dubbed 'mini Switzerland' for its meadow - in Pahalgam on 22 April. An officer of the Indian Navy and an Intelligence Bureau personnel were also among those killed.
It was the deadliest strike in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike. The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, claimed responsibility.
Following the attack, India downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and revocation of visa services for Pakistani nationals.
In retaliation, Pakistan also announced a series of measures. Islamabad also said that any move to divert water meant for it under the pact will be considered an "Act of War".
Both countries have shut their airspaces for one another.
I have little to no interest in politics. However, I suppose it makes sense. India want to avoid another attack and blocking one form of communication can be beneficial.
It's difficult to form an opinion on something I don't really have an interest in. The safety of a country's citizens is paramount. The heightened tensions between the two countries won't help ease the already existing problems between the two boards in cricket. It looks like India and Pakistan won't be playing any bilateral series' anytime soon.
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