Felicitas Mettner

This study examines how the Taliban utilize social media to promote their agenda and shape public opinion in Afghanistan. While traditionally opposed to modern media, the Taliban have adapted to digital platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and encrypted messaging apps, using them for propaganda, recruitment, and strategic messaging.

Findings indicate that the Taliban effectively exploit social media’s decentralized nature to spread war-related information, misinformation, and ideological narratives. Their messaging varies based on target audiences—using religious and nationalist rhetoric for local supporters, while crafting a moderate image for international legitimacy. Despite their success in digital communication, their strategy remains uncoordinated, presenting both strengths and limitations. This paper was written as part of a seminar at Leipzig University, where the three best contributions were selected and published.

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Henriette Unbehaun

This study examines the propaganda strategies employed by the Taliban, particularly before and after their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. By analyzing narratives, media channels, and target audiences, the research explores how the Taliban have evolved from a movement restricting media access to one that actively leverages traditional and digital platforms to spread its ideology.

Findings indicate that the Taliban strategically adapt their messaging to different audiences—using religious and nationalist rhetoric for local populations, while crafting a more moderate image for international legitimacy. Their media presence spans traditional tools (leaflets, night letters, and radio) as well as modern digital platforms (social media, websites, and multilingual publications).

Despite their advancements in communication tactics, inconsistencies in messaging, internal power struggles, and credibility gaps undermine their efforts. This study highlights the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion in authoritarian regimes, emphasizing the need for further research into its long-term societal effects and counterstrategies for mitigating its influence. This paper was written as part of a seminar at Leipzig University, where the three best contributions were selected and published.

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Emma Segebrecht & Helena Ahlgrimm

Social media campaigns play a crucial role in public discourse and mobilization in fragile states. This study examines MyRedLine (MRL), a 2019 Afghan social media campaign that allowed citizens to voice their concerns about Taliban peace talks. Through video testimonials shared online, the campaign generated 20 million impressions, fostering dialogue and international awareness.

While MRL successfully amplified Afghan voices, its political impact remained uncertain, particularly after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Limited internet access and security risks also restricted participation. Despite these challenges, the study highlights the potential of social media in fragile states, emphasizing the need for safer, more inclusive, and sustainable digital activism in conflict-affected regions. This paper was written as part of a seminar at Leipzig University, where the three best contributions were selected and published

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Abumoslem Khorasani

This study examines the Twitter-X accounts of individuals accused of lobbying for the Taliban, addressing how these individuals engage on the platform. The findings reveal that individuals accused of lobbying for the Taliban, with less than one million followers, 12,000 followings, and 120,000 tweets, have created a media structure on Twitter-X. These accounts use virtual spaces as a form of social capital to promote the interests of the Taliban and conduct lobbying activities on the group’s behalf. The actors within the media structures of the Taliban’s online lobbyists emerge from four distinct public spheres: the “Taliban Public Sphere,” the “Afghanistan Public Sphere,” the “Diaspora Public Sphere,” and the “Global Public Sphere.” In this context, these lobbyists act as intermediaries between the four spheres, facilitating part of the Taliban’s communication with the world.

Content-wise, the Taliban’s online lobbyists carry out the lobbying process using three concepts and nine methods. These include the legitimization of the Taliban, active engagement in political discourse, and the construction of narratives that serve to portray the group in a favorable light. The strategic application of visual imagery, particularly through the publication of photographs of Taliban leaders, the emphasis on positive reports, and the reframing of the Taliban’s nature, constitutes a form of “whitewashing.”
Finally, the representation of the group’s interests manifests in several forms: opposing critics of the Taliban, offering counsel to the group, resisting military campaigns, and promoting the narrative of “ending the war.” Despite the semi-structured, highly decentralized, and fragmented nature of the Taliban’s online lobbyists on Twitter-X, their efforts are nonetheless effective in achieving their objectives.

The Persian version of this article is accessible here.