Discussion

• @sam_l_shead Sam Shead on x

  Facebook has banned the Taliban from the main Facebook platform as well as Instagram and WhatsApp. YouTube spokesperson tells me YouTube's Community Guidelines apply equally to everyone. So basically no ban there. Twitter and TikTok yet to respond (2 hours and counting).

• @markscott82 Mark Scott on x

  I'm not even going to try to pretend I'm an Afghanistan expert. But when both @Facebook & @Twitter are rife w/ Taliban content (including groups & accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers) and neither company has a good reason why, I just shake my head in wonder

• @prestonjbyrne Preston Byrne on x

  “The fact that the Taliban is using US-based servers to run its terror state and nobody in the Biden Administration has thought to disconnect it, even as U.S. forces flee in disarray, is a strategic blunder on par with Pearl Harbor.” https://prestonbyrne.com/...

• @lorenzofb Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on x

  NEW: WhatsApp says it's not banning the Taliban from its platform because it can't read messages protected by end-to-end encryption. This comes as Taliban use WhatsApp to spread their message as they take over country. https://www.vice.com/...

• @motherboard @motherboard on x

  As it quickly took control of the county, the Taliban used Facebook-owned chat app WhatsApp to spread its message and gain favor among local citizens, according to news reports as well as Afghan citizens and observers on the ground. https://www.vice.com/...

• @ayazgul64 Ayaz Gul on x

  #Taliban are moving fast and said to have appointed Mullah Shirin Akhund as the new governor of #Kabul. The group's “complaint commission” publicised WhatsApp numbers via social media for city residents to contact the commission “if they face threats from anyone."#Afghanistan

• @akiperitz Aki Peritz on x

  Another Mark Zuckerberg company assists the very worst people in the world https://twitter.com/...

• @lorenzofb Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on x

  In case you are wondering, these were the Qs we asked: > Was WhatsApp aware that Talibans were using platform to fulfill their military goals? > If so what did WhatsApp do? > Did you consider banning their numbers? > Did the US government reach out to WhatsApp about this?

• @zamaan_qureshi Zamaan Qureshi on x

  “WhatsApp [Facebook] complies with U.S. sanctions law, so if it encounters any sanctioned people or organizations using the app, it will take action, including banning the accounts.” How does WhatsApp/FB verify identity of Taliban users? Who is ensuring they comply w sanctions? h…

• @runasand Runa Sandvik on x

  @lorenzofb Can you elaborate on the specific questions asked? Not all information on WhatsApp is encrypted end-to-end.

• @aaschapiro Avi Asher-Schapiro on x

  They're on Twitter too... https://twitter.com/...

• @bbcyaldahakim Yalda Hakim on x

  The Taliban's Complaints Commission WhatsApp +93 79 471 7946

• @_halemaw @_halemaw on x

  Hearing reports that Taliban are stopping pedestrians and making them open their phones to check for American numbers, contacts, and whatsapp convos. Folks advising to delete messages and threads before heading out to the airport or other areas.

• @ericgeller Eric Geller on x

  a new crypto wars tinderbox, just what the doctor ordered https://twitter.com/...

• @tomas_hozman Tomáš Hozman on x

  @lorenzofb As controversial as it may be, I'm glad WhatsApp is willing to uphold E2EE, even if it means some negative PR. Assuming those messages are something worthy of being banned, an efficient reporting mechanism is much more effective and safe than undermining encryption for…

• @frudbezhan @frudbezhan on x

  Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told @DaRadioAzadi via Whatsapp just now. “There is no operation planned to take #Kabul. It will be resolved through talks.”

• @jihadwatchrs @jihadwatchrs on x

  Taliban used WhatsApp to appeal to Afghans, US never monitored communications or asked Facebook to ban them https://www.jihadwatch.org/... https://twitter.com/...

• @mikeelgan Mike Elgan on x

  Facebook was central to Trump taking power in the US; WhatsApp was central to the Taliban taking power in Afghanistan. https://twitter.com/...

• @talkopan Tal Kopan on x

  @alex @lorenzofb Interesting that WhatsApp can still serve targeted Facebook ads based on what's in those messages, though

• @alex @alex on x

  you can either have: 1. actual privacy 2. the ability for tech cos to kick all bad ppl off their services https://twitter.com/...

• @odonnell4nh Justin O'Donnell on x

  The Taliban has controlled Kabul for less than a day, and has already set up an emergency broadcast system and 9-1-1 emergency services call system using WhatsApp. It turns out, illiterate goat farmers can provide more reliable Civic services than the Detroit City Council.

• @donie Donie O'Sullivan on x

  For those wondering why the Taliban is allowed on social media, while other groups are not — the short answer is the Taliban is not on the US list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.

• @sam_l_shead Sam Shead on x

  Getting rid of all the Taliban-related content on Facebook isn't a quick fix and may even be almost impossible https://twitter.com/...

• @sam_l_shead Sam Shead on x

  Facebook says it considers the Taliban to be a terrorist organization. Did it not consider them a terrorist org yday, last week, or last year? Timing feels a bit odd

• @donie Donie O'Sullivan on x

  So as I understand it Taliban is allowed on YouTube and Twitter ✅ Banned from Facebook ❌ And Trump is currently banned from all three... https://twitter.com/...

• @donie Donie O'Sullivan on x

  That's what a lot of the major platforms rely on in deciding what foreign groups to ban.

• @heytammybruce Tammy Bruce on x

  Biden & the Taliban both have access to social media. Donald Trump does not. Fascinating juxtaposition considering the complete and utter human catastrophe which is unfolding due to the actions of the first two...

• @rajeshwarie Rajeshwari on x

  Wonder what logic @Facebook uses when it blocks someone's post containing a message of empathy and solidarity with the Afghan people, especially Afghan women, but allows Taliban leaders to freely publish their propaganda. https://twitter.com/...

• @gulalai_ismail @gulalai_ismail on x

  Sending messages of solidarity to Afghans is against community standards of .@Facebook @facebookapp?? Where do you stand Facebook? https://twitter.com/...

• @dineshdsouza Dinesh D'Souza on x

  I believe the fact checkers at Facebook are looking into the question of whether the Taliban can be given a strike against their social media pages for inciting an insurrection #Afghanistan #Sarcasm

• @donie Donie O'Sullivan on x

  Facebook, however, has banned them. “The Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organization under US law and we have banned them from our services under our Dangerous Organization policies.”

• @amyspitalnick Amy Spitalnick on x

  Related, from people I trust: Taliban are data diving on social to find people in the country with ties to Americans. Please make sure your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media friend lists are private.