Twitter has decided that it will not be prohibiting the Taliban from using its platform, breaking ranks with Facebook, TikTok, and other tech companies who have decided to ban the terror group.
When asked if the Taliban will be disallowed from their platform, a spokesman from the company seemingly avoided the question, saying that Twitter will “continue to proactively enforce” its rules on the “glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam.” The spokesman took time to praise Twitter for its benevolence as well, saying he was “witnessing people in the country using Twitter to seek help and assistance.”
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid is active on the website and currently has over 300,000 followers.
Mujahid is not the only Taliban member on the platform, with an announcement of his about a Taliban press conference in Kabul drawing messages from various supporters, including one who goes by the name Muhammad Ibrahim.
Ibrahim has a history on the platform that includes providing advice to another online user seeking to join the Taliban.
“I want to join Taliban,” the man wrote in a July 14 message. “Pls help me.”
“Then go to Afghanistan,” Ibrahim replied, with added advice that he seeks his parents’ permission first.
Twitter has drawn fire from numerous critics, with many suggesting that Twitter has engaged in a blatant double standard regarding the treatment of public figures given their banning of former President Trump.
“Why on God’s green Earth does the Taliban spokesman have an active Twitter account but not the former President of the United States?” Rep. Madison Cawthorne (R-NC) wrote on Sunday. “Who’s [sic] side is the AMERICA BASED Big-Tech companies on?”
French politician Jerome Riviere echoed similar sentiment across the world, saying, “Freedom and democracy are not doing well when Twitter continues to ban Trump’s account but relays the Taliban spokesperson’s without any second thoughts.”
Twitter has a long track record of engaging in censorship, with a recent scandal by the company involving their ban on accounts exposing the results of the recently concluded Arizona election audit.
