This highlights the problem of communications metadata still being available to an outside observer or manipulator. A messaging network where source and destination identifiers can't be linked to real-world identifying information, such as phone numbers, would have been resistant to such censorship.
If they can't target some particular group then they just shut down the whole thing. This more highlights the problem of systems with a single point of control.
Multiple providers who federate would still not be enough. With some effort one could block every XMPP server, Jami (or Tor) node out there. You would need something like Briar which does mesh networking via Bluetooth.
With "some effort" you can block anything. Encryption is better than open, federated and encrypted is better than centralized and encrypted, federation over a mesh network is better than just federation.
