Facebook recently launched a new set of user control tools designed to help people in Afghanistan hide their social media profiles. The move comes as the Taliban has regained control of the country and many are seeking to hide their social media presence out of fear that the content could lead to their being targeted.
A new button allows users to lock down their accounts and prevent anyone who they haven’t friended from seeing their content. The company has also restricted the ability to view and search other users’ friend lists in Afghanistan. And on Facebook-owned Instagram, users in the country will see pop-up alerts telling them how they can secure their account.
According to Nathaniel Gleicher, head of security policy for Facebook, the company listened to feedback from activists, journalists and civil society groups to help it develop these tools. The company is also recommending that users outside of Afghanistan with friends in the country also consider restricting the visibility of their account.
