Social network countermeasures to protect users in Afghanistan

From Faceook to LinkedIn, from Clubhouse to Twitter, technology platforms are putting in place systems to protect members from the Taliban

Photo: Wakil Kohsar / Afp via Getty Images removal of Taliban content and profiles online, large tech platforms join forces to ensure the safety of their users from the reprisals of the Islamist group returned to power in Afghanistan.

In recent days Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn had declared that they have taken steps to protect the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them from the Taliban, thinking in particular of all those people who in various capacities have collaborated with Westerners over the past two decades.

Facebook

Facebook has temporarily removed the ability for people to view or search friend lists of accounts in Afghan istan. Those who are not friends with these accounts will also not be able to see their posts in the history or share their profile photos.

Twitter

Twitter has announced that they are in contact with local organizations and with the Internet Archive to respond faster to requests to remove archived tweets. It can also block the account of anyone who cannot access it but has potentially sensitive information.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has temporarily hidden the connections of its users in Afghanistan so that other users cannot see them.

Clubhouse

Clubhouse also announced on Twitter that it is making some changes to its privacy settings for users in Afghanistan. In particular, Clubhouse hides the photo, the bio and makes it more difficult to find especially the accounts that have been less active in the search. Users can still change these settings.

Human rights groups have expressed concern that the Taliban may use online platforms to track the digital life or social connections of Afghans. According to field sources on the Rest of the World website, the Taliban are extensively using Facebook and LinkedIn to identify who has connections outside the country and may have worked with Western groups.

Former team captain Afghan women's football, Khalida Popal, also publicly urged players to delete their social profiles. Many people have already done so in the early hours of the Taliban conquest of Kabul, as widely reported, while those who decide to maintain a public identity online - or are forced by technical or logistical problems - are at serious risk.


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Topics

Afghanistan Clubhouse Facebook Linkedin Privacy Policy Social media Social Network Twitter globalData.fldTopic = "Afghanistan, Clubhouse, Facebook, Linkedin, Politics, Privacy, Social media, Social Networks, Twitter "

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