Belarus tested blocking YouTube, TikTok, and Telegram services

On the night of January 10, Belarus tested blocking the YouTube video service, the TikTok social network, and the Telegram messenger. The Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva writes about this.

According to the publication, YouTube stopped working at 00:15 Kyiv time (01:15 Belarusian time) and did not open without a VPN until 02:00 Kyiv time. Users of various providers complained about problems with access to the video service.

Previously, YouTube was blocked in Belarus on New Year's Eve, when the service was supposed to display a greeting from the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svitlana Tikhanovskaya.

Also, around the same time, TikTok and Telegram stopped opening without a VPN. In addition, access to Twitch, Discord, and the hdrezka player disappeared. Users also complained about problems with Google services.

Previously, Beltelecom announced scheduled work on the data transmission network from midnight to 7:30. In particular, there were reports of possible restrictions on access to data network services for subscribers in Minsk, Gomel and the Gomel region.

The publication's journalists believe that the authorities are probably preparing to block the Internet during the elections.

The presidential elections in Belarus are scheduled for January 26, 2025. Five people are applying to participate in them, including the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been head of state since 1994 and has decided to run for a seventh presidential term.