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Clubhouse is blocked in Oman, but the exact reason is unclear
A regulator said the app lacks a permit, though critics claim the move is an attack on free speech.
Oman has joined China in blocking Clubhouse. The official line is that the audio-chat app is barred for not having the correct permit. However, some believe the move was an act of censorship.
Residents of the Gulf state have been sharing error messages from the app on other platforms. Reuters notes that Clubhouse has become popular in Arab countries, where states typically run media organizations and residents can face prison for sharing critical opinions online.
By its nature, Clubhouse is harder for governments to monitor than text-based social networks. There's currently no easy option to listen to discussions after the fact. However, there have been instances of users sharing audio from the app elsewhere.
Clubhouse still requires an invite and is iOS-only, though competitors are moving into the audio-chat space. Twitter Spaces could become available to everyone on iOS and Android as soon as April. Facebook is said to be working on a version of Clubhouse too.
