For the last couple of weeks, Taliban members have reportedly hosted chatrooms on the audio-based social media platform Clubhouse.
As international troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the extremist group has gone on the offensive. The Taliban have regained some territories, and there is fear the group will regain a strong foothold in the country.
Clubhouse has the ability to bring young Afghans and members of the Islamic terrorist group together in real-time. “Some say the Taliban have changed, but I wanted to hear from them, in their own voice, if they really have,” Sodaba, 22, of Kabul told Agence France-Presse.
In some Taliban-run chatrooms, things can get tense as arguments begin over human rights, war, and women’s role in society.
But the platform forbids most of the behavior that is fundamental to the group in its guidelines. Despite this, it has allowed the Taliban to continue to host chatrooms.
The AFP first reported on the group’s presence in mid-July. And the nonprofit South Asia Media Research Institute said a Taliban spokesperson was live on the app as recently as this weekend. The topic of conversation included calling for better relations between Afghanistan and Iran.
According to some Afghan Clubhouse users, the Taliban members are recording the chatrooms to identify opponents. Recording or quoting chat sessions also goes against the platform’s guidelines. A spokesperson for the Taliban denied the group is recording the conversations or using them against critics.
A spokesperson for Clubhouse denied the platform has allowed the terrorist group to operate in a statement to The Post.
“Clubhouse prohibits terror groups and their members,” the spokesperson said. “We work with Tech Against Terrorism as well as other subject matter experts and industry leaders to ensure that users of this nature are permanently removed from the platform.”
