The Taliban government in Afghanistan has announced the development of a strategy that could restrict or potentially ban the social media platform Facebook (Meta) within the country. During an interview with the private Kabul-based television network TOLO News, Najibullah Haqqani, the Taliban-led government’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, revealed this.
Haqqani cited preventing “time and money wastage” and a desire to counter what he deems “immoral issues” as justification for the potential restrictions.
Facebook continues to ban Taliban content on its platforms, considering the group a terrorist organization. The company has a dedicated team of Afghan experts to monitor and remove content linked to the group. Meta blocks Taliban government members’ accounts and the official pages of their governmental bodies and restricts individuals who share photos or writings about Taliban leaders.
Members of the Taliban government and their media and government agencies currently mostly use the X Network (formerly Twitter), where they face no restrictions on their online activities.
Previous Media Restrictions
The Taliban government has a history of imposing media restrictions. These include limitations on local radio and television broadcasts and the shutdown of international radio stations broadcasting in Afghanistan, such as Radio Free Europe and Voice of America.
Minister’s Rationale
In the TOLO News interview, Haqqani maintained that the policy toward Facebook is in the “interest of the Afghan nation” and framed it as a measure to save people’s time and finances. He further stated, “No one is allowed to publish ‘immoral’ content in Afghan society for business purposes.” Haqqani emphasized the need for Afghan youth to prioritize education over social media. This statement stands in stark contrast to the Taliban government’s closure of education for Afghan girls beyond the sixth grade.
The Taliban government has also previously restricted access to the social network TikTok and the game PUBG.
Facebook’s Popularity and Cybercrime in Afghanistan
Facebook remains one of the most popular social platforms among Afghan youth, with approximately four and a half million active accounts.
Cybercrime, particularly scams related to online investments and trading, is a significant concern in Afghanistan. The Taliban government has not yet outlined a comprehensive response plan, although Haqqani indicated efforts are underway. This includes establishing a laboratory and a contract to combat cybercrime, as well as activating a data center for information backup in case of cyberattacks.
Internet Access Concerns
Afghans often complain about slow internet connections and high service costs. Haqqani addressed this, acknowledging that while 22.7 million active SIM cards exist in Afghanistan, with 61 percent of the population having access to telecommunication services, only 12.7 million of these SIM cards are used for internet access.