Unlike other social media platforms, Twitter has allowed the Afghan Taliban to stay on its platform. The platform says it will monitor the content of the Taliban leaders to ensure they are not glorifying violence on social media.
Meanwhile, other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have banned the accounts related to the Taliban or are promoting and praising them.
Twitter said in a statement that it will ‘continue to proactively enforce our rules and review content that may violate Twitter rules, specifically policies against the glorification of violence, platform manipulation, and spam.’
Twitter says Taliban can stay on platform if they obey rules https://t.co/U6xcJQaZzW pic.twitter.com/UdfvJAcaTG
— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2021
The former President of the United States is banned from Twitter but the Taliban is not.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) August 17, 2021
Earlier, this year Twitter had banned the official account of former US President Donald Trump on allegations of inciting violence following the US Presidential Elections.
Twitter defended its decision to allow the account of Taliban representatives by saying that people in Afghanistan are using the platform to seek help and refuge.
Read more: Taliban territory not to be let used against any country
Spokesperson of the Taliban, Sohail Shaheen, has 351,000 followers on Twitter Another spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid also has 310,000 followers on Twitter.
The advocates of President Trump have accused Twitter of supporting the Islamist government of the Taliban in Afghanistan by giving them social media space. Facebook has already banned the Taliban, calls it an extremist organization. Among its prohibitions are posts supporting the Taliban.
Spokesperson of Taliban Sohail Shaheen slammed Facebook for banning them and curbing their freedom of speech. When asked about the freedom of speech, Suhail Shaheen said, “The question should be asked to those people who are claiming to be promoters of freedom of speech who do not allow publication of all information.. the Facebook company, this question should be asked to them.”
The Taliban can communicate on Twitter but President Trump can’t.
Very cool, @jack.
— ACT For America (@ACTforAmerica) August 17, 2021
On Monday, Facebook confirmed that they are bound to restrict the Taliban from the application and Whatsapp under the law, as they are designated as the terror group.
Read more: Respect Human Rights and we work with you, says EU to Taliban
“The Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organization under US law and we have banned them from our services under our Dangerous Organization policies,” a Facebook spokesperson told AFP.
Facebook has also shut down the Whatsapp Hotline, Taliban had created to receive complaints regarding looting and violence.