It appears the Twitter 2.0 blue check marks are having an unintended effect on how the Taliban Afghanistan operates on the platform. Information from different sources shows that the corrupt organization might be using the new feature launched by Elon Musk to their benefit.
Before Elon Musk acquired Twitter, the blue check on Twitter was always associated with those who were celebrities, government officials, or any other well-known persons. But after the Twitter 2.0 release date, anyone can access and use the feature, including the Taliban. Terrorist organizations might use the feature to search for sensitive information across social media platforms.
The BBC was among the new sources that reported the incident saying, "The Taliban have started using Twitter's paid-for verification feature, meaning some now have blue ticks on their accounts." Further information confirmed the rumor as many Twitter accounts affiliated with the Taliban leadership have the Twitter blue check on their account. Before the leadership of Elon Musk, one has to request the blue check and they are hard to be verified to be notable people before they are given out.
This issue has raised a lot of controversies online as many blame Elon Musk for endangering the lives of people using Twitter by allowing Taliban Afghanistan to have access to the blue check. A little research showed that at least two Taliban officials and four prominent supporters in Afghanistan were using the feature on the platform.
The head of the Taliban's department for "access to information", named Hedayatullah Hedayat also has the blue tick feature on his account. Despite the local newspaper reports that he had the blue tick removed, a quick check showed that he had it back. He has over 180,000 followers on the account, and it is often used to spread information on what is happening in Taliban Afghanistan.
Trump Spoke About The Taliban Before He was Banned on Twitter
Before former president Donald Trump was banned from the platform, he spoke about the activities of the Taliban on the platform. He mentioned Twitter users were more focused on seeing him leave the platform instead of focusing on the activities of the Taliban on the platform.
"We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced," Donald Trump said after his ban on the platform.
While the blue tick feature launched by Elon Musk might seem good at the moment, the Taliban having it is very wrong and can be used for the wrong purposes. Those who have a blue tick on Twitter are often seen as authentic, and the messages they project can spread like wildfire.
Allowing an infamous organization such as Afghanistan will allow them to spread their message across the social media platform and draw sympathizers along the way. Elon Musk will have to find a way to remove such accounts from the platform or risk the users of the platform falling victim to the Taliban's antics.