Facebook is employing a dedicated staff of Afghan professionals monitoring and removing content associated with the Taliban. For years, The Taliban has been using social media to spread their propaganda.
The Taliban’s rapid conquest of Afghanistan poses new concerns for technology companies in terms of how to handle content related to the group.
According to the BBC, a Facebook spokeswoman declared that under US law, the Taliban is designated as a terrorist organization, therefore prohibiting them from using the US services under “Dangerous Organization policy.” This means Facebook will deactivate accounts run by or on behalf of the Taliban, as well as banning praise, support, and representation of the group.
The company stated that the ban applies to all of Facebook’s services, including its main social media network, Instagram, and WhatsApp. However, there are indications that the Taliban is communicating using WhatsApp.