Technology for a network element configured to apply Application Specific Congestion Control for Data Communication (ACDC) in a wireless network is disclosed. The network element can determine to apply ACDC in the wireless network to mitigate overload of the wireless network. The network element can process barring information for one or more ACDC categories for transmission to a user equipment (UE) when ACDC is applied in the wireless network. The barring information can indicate that the UE is prevented from accessing the network for applications associated with the one or more ACDC categories when ACDC is applied in the wireless network.