Houthi-linked arms dealers selling weapons on X, WhatsApp: Report
What's the story
A new report has revealed that arms dealers linked to Yemen's Houthi terrorists are using social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp for weapon trafficking. The Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a Washington, DC-based organization focused on holding big tech accountable, found 130 Yemen-based X accounts and 67 WhatsApp business accounts selling military-grade weapons. These include high-powered rifles and grenade launchers, some of which were labeled "Property of the US Govt" and "NATO."
Platform policies
'Platforms are allowing traffickers to operate with impunity'
According to the report, these dealers have been operating for months or even years. X and WhatsApp ban the dealing of arms on their platforms. Many of them subscribe to X Premium and use WhatsApp Business, services that are supposed to be moderated. TTP director Katie Paul said, "X and WhatsApp both have policies against weapons sales, but they are allowing arms traders linked to a US-designated terrorist group to traffic weapons on their platforms."
Weapon display
Dealers flaunt US-made weapons
More than half of the identified X accounts are based in Sana'a, Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital. They often post pro-Houthi content and sell weapons with the Houthi logo. Some accounts even flaunt US-made weapons, like an American M249 SAW light machine gun. The report doesn't say who the arms dealers' customers are, but because some rifles cost as much as $10,000 (£7,500), it's conceivable that other militants might be buying them, per The Guardian.
Moderation reduction
What's happening with content moderation
In recent months, Meta and X have been scaling back their content moderation policies even as disinformation and illicit trafficking rise. After Elon Musk acquired X in 2022, he laid off about 80% of the company's trust and safety team. A previous TTP report had found over 200 accounts linked to terrorist groups with blue ticks on X Premium.
Review failure
How did WhatsApp miss these accounts?
WhatsApp also failed to catch many of these arms dealers despite reviewing business account profiles and images. A spokesperson for WhatsApp said they take action against US-designated terrorist organizations using their service but did not explain how the review process missed these accounts initially. Meta has also laid off thousands of employees dedicated to safety in recent years, further reducing content moderation efforts.
Smuggling concerns
Concerns about global arms smuggling
The TTP's findings also raise concerns about global arms smuggling. Taimur Khan from Conflict Armament Research said tracing how US-made weapons reached Houthi-held territory is difficult. Some weapons may have been seized from Yemeni government forces before 2014, while others appear to be diverted civilian products trafficked through various means. Earlier this year, the US sanctioned a Houthi arms smuggling network for procuring Russian weapons with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' help.