Social Media giant Facebook is actively identifying and removing content that mentions the Taliban. The platform confirms it is abiding by the “Dangerous Organization” policy of the company.
Facebook has a dedicated team that is scrubbing the platform of any Taliban-related content. The platform confirmed it was undertaking this mission to ensure there is no incitement and hate speech on Facebook.
Taliban is banned from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, under the “Dangerous Organization” policy:
The Taliban, a rogue radicalized terrorist group, has effectively taken control of entire Afghanistan. The group forcibly occupied Kabul, the country’s capital. Afghanistan’s elected leadership is now living under exile.
There’s little doubt that social media platforms are a powerful tool to spread the news. However, several groups abuse the platform to spread misinformation and propaganda.
Facebook confirms it bans all Taliban-related content https://t.co/yVOkTI5RGQ
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 17, 2021
Multiple social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and even mass-messaging apps such as WhatsApp, are routinely the medium to incite violence.
Here is a screenshot of a Facebook post from a politician aspiring to be an APC gubernatorial candidate in 2023, celebrating Taliban take over in Afghanistan. Save this before he starts blaming youthful exuberance for supporting extremists as if he is less than 50 years old today pic.twitter.com/vg8sh5KA0a
— Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu (@Aliyussufiy) August 16, 2021
To prevent such incidents, Facebook is now actively identifying and removing any content related to the Taliban on the platform. Taliban is a terrorist organization sanctioned under U.S. law.
The U.S. has legally prohibited the organization from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Now Facebook, the owner of the three most popular social media platforms, is enforcing its “Dangerous Organization” policy.
Facebook claims it is merely enforcing the policy enacted as per the directives of the United States of America:
Facebook claims it failed to take appropriate action when some groups allegedly abused the platform to instigate violence against certain ethnic and religious groups in Myanmar back in 2018.
Back then, the social media giant had a team of 60 people managing 18 million Facebook users from Myanmar. To ensure proactive action, Facebook now has a team of dedicated “Afghanistan experts”.
Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan is posing a new challenge for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other tech companies https://t.co/UTqjQ1tyYz pic.twitter.com/d9ou1C6h6s
— Gadgets 360 (@Gadgets360) August 17, 2021
The social media platform hasn’t mentioned how many people it has deployed for the sanitization efforts. Afghanistan is under siege, and the immediate future appears bleak.
The country does not have even the most basic communication infrastructure to organize groups. It is amply clear that Facebook is targeting international accounts that are directly or indirectly supporting the terrorist organization.
Facebook has reiterated its ban on accounts praising, supporting or representing the Taliban. https://t.co/ZZmmlTxZRK
— CNN International (@cnni) August 17, 2021
Facebook’s official spokesperson said:
“Facebook does not make decisions about the recognized government in any particular country but instead respects the authority of the international community in making these determinations. Regardless of who holds power, we will take the appropriate action against accounts and content that breaks our rules.”
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://t.co/x1hzgT5NVn
— Motherboard (@motherboard) August 16, 2021
Facebook has clarified that it is effectively taking down accounts and content that represent, support, and express approval of the Taliban. The platform also prevents users from praising the organization.