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Houthi-Linked Dealers Still Selling U.S. Arms on X as Meta Bans Just Two WhatsApp Accounts

Enforcement pledges after the Tech Transparency Project’s July report have resulted in only a handful of account removals.

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X and Meta accused of hosting arms dealers linked to Houthi rebels.
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Overview

  • The Tech Transparency Project identified 130 Yemen-based X accounts and 67 WhatsApp Business profiles marketing rifles, grenade launchers and other military-grade weapons.
  • Many listings featured U.S.-made arms stamped “Property of US Govt” or NATO, alongside Soviet-era RPG-7s and AK-47s.
  • Most trafficking accounts appeared after Elon Musk’s October 2022 purchase of X, following layoffs that slashed its trust and safety team by 80%.
  • Dozens of Houthi-linked dealers remain active on X, using premium tools like extended video posts and tip jars to promote their weapons.
  • WhatsApp Business removed only two of the flagged accounts after media inquiries despite its policy to review business profiles and product catalogues.