Lyla Lindsey
WhatsApp has become the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate with each other, as well as with the outside world. It is used by both the Afghan government and military, as well as the Taliban. The Taliban has used WhatsApp to spread propaganda and to coordinate their fighters. They have also used the platform to set up helplines for citizens to report violence, looting, or other problems. The app has unique benefits in the fight against the Taliban, who also rely on the app to update their superiors and check in with their fighters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp's popularity in Afghanistan | Second only to Facebook as a way for Afghans to communicate with one another |
| Who uses it? | Afghan citizens, government officials, soldiers, and the Taliban |
| Why do they use it? | To communicate, spread messages, and gain support |
| Is it effective? | Yes, it allows for quick and flexible communication and coordination |
| Security concerns | Yes, American officials say that despite end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp poses a security risk |
What You'll Learn
- WhatsApp is the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate
- Both Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters use WhatsApp
- The Taliban used WhatsApp to coordinate their takeover of Afghanistan
- The Taliban set up a WhatsApp helpline for Kabul residents to report issues
- WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which has banned the Taliban
WhatsApp is the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate
The Taliban has used WhatsApp as a tool to spread propaganda and gain support among Afghan citizens. They have leveraged the app's group chat feature to spread messages that challenge the West's dominant image of the group as intolerant and vicious. They have also used WhatsApp to coordinate their activities on the ground, with WhatsApp groups becoming virtual operation centers for tactical decision-making.
The Afghan government and military have also found WhatsApp to be a valuable tool in their fight against the Taliban. The app's quick and flexible nature allows for urgent decisions to be made without the need for ministers and commanders to be physically present in a secure operation center.
The widespread use of WhatsApp in Afghanistan highlights the country's growing internet connectivity and the increasing role of technology in conflict and governance.
The Complex Power Dynamics in Afghanistan: Unraveling the Intricate Web of Control
You may want to see also
Both Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters use WhatsApp
Both Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters regularly use WhatsApp to communicate on and off the battlefield. In the last five years, WhatsApp has become the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate with one another and with the outside world.
WhatsApp groups have become virtual operation centres, with ministers and commanders sending decisions from their bedrooms, between meetings, or even from an airport lounge. Urgent decisions on imminent attacks no longer have to wait for ministers and commanders to reach a secure operation centre.
The app has now fully penetrated the highest echelons of the Afghan government and military. Afghan military officials say that WhatsApp has unique benefits in the fight against the Taliban, who also rely on the app to update their superiors and check in with their fighters.
The battle has become a war of small, quick tactical gains. For this, the advantages of the app, they say, far outweigh the potential vulnerability. It is quick and flexible. However, American officials say that despite WhatsApp’s advertised “end-to-end” encryption, it is a security risk.
The Ethnic Diversity of Afghanistan: Exploring the Presence of Caucasians
You may want to see also
The Taliban used WhatsApp to coordinate their takeover of Afghanistan
WhatsApp has become the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate with each other and with the outside world, second only to Facebook. The app is also used by the Taliban, who have used it to coordinate their takeover of Afghanistan.
The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan shocked international observers. It has been suggested that the Taliban's use of WhatsApp played a role in their success. The group used the platform to notify citizens that they had gained control of the country and to provide numbers for citizens to call if they needed more information or encountered problems.
WhatsApp is an American product owned by Facebook, which can be switched off by its parent company at any time and for any reason. The fact that the Taliban were able to use it suggests that U.S. military intelligence never bothered to monitor Taliban communications or ask Facebook to ban them. This may explain why Afghanistan collapsed as quickly as it did.
The Taliban's use of WhatsApp has continued since they took power. The group set up a WhatsApp helpline for residents of Kabul to report violence, looting, or other problems directly to the Taliban's Complaints Commission. However, this hotline was later blocked by Facebook, along with other official Taliban channels. In response, a Taliban spokesperson accused Facebook of censorship.
The Taliban's use of social media platforms has highlighted the struggle to ban the group from these services. While Facebook and WhatsApp have policies in place to ban dangerous organizations and users that violate their rules, the Taliban has continued to find ways to use these platforms to spread its message.
The Human Cost of War: Examining the Loss of Life in Iraq and Afghanistan
You may want to see also
The Taliban set up a WhatsApp helpline for Kabul residents to report issues
WhatsApp has become the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate with one another, and with the outside world. The app has proliferated in the highest echelons of the Afghan government and military, as well as among the Taliban. Both Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters regularly use WhatsApp to communicate on and off the battlefield.
As the Taliban took power in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021, it set up a WhatsApp helpline for residents to report violence, looting or other problems directly to the group's Complaints Commission. The Taliban advertised the helpline when it captured the city, and it has used similar WhatsApp hotlines in the past, for example, when it took over the city of Kunduz in 2016.
The Taliban's use of the Facebook-owned app to spread messages and gain favour among citizens as they took over the country has been described as a strategic blind spot for the United States. The US military intelligence never bothered to monitor Taliban numbers and never asked Facebook to ban them.
Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has since shut down the Taliban helpline in Kabul, along with other official Taliban channels. Facebook has designated the Taliban a "dangerous organisation", and said it removes accounts maintained by or on behalf of the group. It also prohibits praise, support, and representation of them.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said that the company is "obligated to adhere to US sanctions laws", and will ban accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban.
The Plight of Afghanistan: Understanding the Roots of Poverty and Strife
You may want to see also
WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which has banned the Taliban
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, has been used by the Taliban to spread their message and gain favour among local citizens. The Taliban have used the app to communicate on and off the battlefield, and to coordinate their activities. As the Taliban took power in Kabul, they set up a WhatsApp helpline for residents to report violence, looting, or other problems.
Facebook has designated the Taliban as a "dangerous organisation" and has banned them from their services. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official Taliban accounts. Facebook has stated that it is seeking more information from relevant US authorities given the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
A Facebook spokesperson said:
> The Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organisation under US law and we have banned them from our services under our Dangerous Organisation policies. This means we remove accounts maintained by or on behalf of the Taliban and prohibit praise, support, and representation of them.
WhatsApp has also said that it will take action against the Taliban if it becomes aware that they are using certain channels. However, as a private messaging service, WhatsApp does not have access to the contents of people's personal chats. The company relies on machine learning and user reports to identify Taliban-linked accounts.
The Devastating Impact: How Aid Reduction is Crippling Afghanistan
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, WhatsApp is used by people in Afghanistan. In fact, it is the second most popular way for Afghans to communicate with each other and with the outside world.
WhatsApp has been used by both the Afghan government and military, as well as the Taliban, to communicate on and off the battlefield. The app has also been used by the Taliban to spread propaganda and to communicate with citizens.
The Taliban's use of WhatsApp has been credited as one of the reasons for their rapid takeover of Afghanistan. They have been able to coordinate their activities and quickly assume the functions of the government.
WhatsApp has stated that it complies with US sanctions law and will take action, including banning accounts, if it encounters any sanctioned individuals or organizations using the app. However, they have also said that they do not have access to the contents of people's personal chats due to end-to-end encryption.
The Taliban's continued use of WhatsApp has created a potential problem for Facebook as sanctions law obliges it to prevent proscribed groups from using its services. Facebook has designated the Taliban as a dangerous organization and taken action to remove their accounts and block their access.
