Houthi-affiliated arms dealers are violating social media policies on X and Meta by openly selling US-made weapons. A report by the Tech Transparency Project reveals these dealers have operated on the platforms for months, offering high-powered rifles, grenade launchers, and military equipment. X features 130 related accounts and WhatsApp has 67 business accounts engaged in arms sales. Many weapons displayed bear markings of US government property and NATO. X and Meta are reducing content moderation, allowing such illicit trafficking amid rising disinformation.
The report by the Washington DC-based Tech Transparency Project reveals that Houthi-affiliated arms dealers have been openly operating commercial weapon stores for months on both platforms.
The 130 Yemen-based X accounts and 67 WhatsApp business accounts identified by TTP offered high-powered rifles and grenade launchers for sale, including US-produced weapons.
Despite their policies against arms dealing, X and Meta are scaling back content moderation policies at a troubling time for disinformation and illicit trafficking.
Many of the arms dealers sold weapons emblazoned with 'Property of US Govt', with rifles priced as high as $10,000, suggesting potential buyers are severe militants.
#arms-trafficking #houthi-militants #social-media-policies #disinformation #tech-transparency-project
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