In an unexpected turn of events, the Taliban in Afghanistan has expressed support for Elon Musk’s approach to censorship on Twitter. Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban leader, highlighted two advantages of Twitter over other social media platforms, particularly Meta-owned rival Threads. He praised Twitter for its freedom of speech and its public nature and credibility.
The Taliban had a limited presence on social media until they regained power in August 2021, as their accounts were frequently blocked. However, since then, the Taliban government has embraced Twitter as a primary platform for announcements, with official accounts for various ministries and departments. Despite this, Meta continues to actively shut down Taliban-associated accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Observers note that accounts with names related to the Taliban or featuring their flag are quickly taken down. Facebook, for instance, shut down the pages of state-owned media agencies due to the designation of the Taliban as a “terrorist organization” by US laws. Under Elon Musk’s ownership, Twitter has swiftly reversed bans on tens of thousands of accounts, including that of former US President Donald Trump.
However, critics argue that the Taliban’s support for Twitter’s freedom of speech is hypocritical, considering their own monitoring and detention of individuals critical of their government on social media. Anas Haqqani himself frequently uses Twitter to express his views on various subjects and has a significant following on the platform.
“How shameful it is for you to talk about freedom of expression,” wrote Homeira Qaderi, an exiled author and activist.
Another exile, journalist and activist Natiq Malikzada, tweeted: “Lol, lauding freedom of speech as a sweet veneer to mask your dark regime, while thousands inside Afghanistan languish in jail for criticizing your oppressive rule.
“Hypocrisy at its finest.”
