Facebook said it had banned the group from operating and supporting any content on the Taliban because it considered it a “terrorist” organization.
According to ISNA, the American company announced that a prominent team of Afghan experts is working to monitor and remove content related to the Taliban.
The Taliban have used this social media for years to spread its messages. Its rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses new challenges for technology companies in how to deal with the group’s content.
A Facebook spokesman told the BBC: “Under US law, the Taliban has been sanctioned as a terrorist organization and we have banned its activities in accordance with our policies regarding dangerous organizations. This means that we delete accounts created by or in support of the Taliban, and any praise, support or advocacy for them is prohibited.
The spokesman added: “A team of Afghan experts who are Pashto and Dari speakers and understand the local language will help us identify issues on this platform.”
The social media giant said it does not decide on the recognition of national governments, but follows the “authority of the international community.” Facebook stressed that the policy applies to all of its platforms, including its main social media network, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, there have been reports of Taliban activity on WhatsApp. Facebook said it would block WhatsApp if it found out the group was using it. Other social media platforms have also been examined for how they deal with Taliban-related content.
The Taliban also use Twitter for information. A Twitter spokesman referred to his policies against violent organizations and hate-related content. Under the rules, Twitter does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians.
YouTube, however, has not yet commented on its policies toward the Taliban.