Facebook moves to block WhatsApp accounts linked to Taliban

According to details, a Facebook spokesperson told the news agency AFP that the Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organization under US law and thus the social networking site has banned them from using its services under the ‘Dangerous Organization policies’.

The Facebook has also moved to close down the WhatsApp hotline that Taliban had formulated to receive complaints regarding violence and looting.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said in an email to AFP that the company is required to follow US sanctions.

"This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban. We're seeking more information from relevant US authorities given the evolving situation in Afghanistan," the company said.

"This means we remove accounts maintained by or on behalf of the Taliban and prohibit praise, support, and representation of them."

The news has come amid mounting pressure on social media platforms to block the accounts used by the Taliban ever since the group seized major Afghan cities including Kabul.

Facebook said it was using "a dedicated team of Afghanistan experts, who are native Dari and Pashto speakers and have knowledge of local context," to help guide policy.

"Our teams are closely monitoring this situation as it evolves. Facebook does not make decisions about the recognized governmentin any particular country but instead respects the authority of the international community in making these determinations," Facebook said.

Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesman has condemned Facebook’s move for blocking "freedom of speech" in the country as a result of the crackdown by the US firm.

At a news conference streamed online, the Taliban official responded to a question about freedom of expression by saying, "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."

Courtesy: France24