Google taking “temporary action to secure” Afghan accounts
Google is monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and “taking temporary actions to secure relevant accounts”, Google said as a comment to news reports that the company temporarily has locked down an unspecified number of Afghan government email accounts.
The background is growing fear that the new Taliban government can use digital paper trails left by former officials and their international partner, news agency Reuters reported.
Mail exchanger records show that Afghan government agencies have also used Microsoft’s email services, the news agency reported adding that Microsoft declined comment.
The Taliban abrupt take over in Afghanistan forced social media companies to decide how to handle the new rulers’ and their opponents’ accounts and content. Facebook said it was keeping its ban on content that promotes the Afghan Taliban. in place. Google-owned YouTube has a similar ban on Afghan Taliban accounts.
Facebook appointed a “dedicated team to monitor “emerging issues”. The team comprises Afghanistan experts, who are native Dari and Pashto speakers and have knowledge of local context”.
The company said its policy for Afghan Taliban content applies across all its platforms including Instagram and WhatsApp.
Twitter referred to the company’s policies against violent organisations and hateful conduct saying Twitter does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians.
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