How The Taliban Hide Their Crimes from Their New Influencer Pals

Afghanistan is getting a makeover on TikTok and Instagram, thanks to influencers showing the Taliban's friendlier side. The drug trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling is well-hidden.

Glossy travel vlogs from Afghanistan are taking over social media as dozens of Western influencers are flocking to the Taliban-led country.

The videos are undeniably fascinating, if a bit predictable. “Friendly”, English-speaking Taliban fighters escort their guests around turquoise waterfalls, bustling bazaars, ornate mosques, and smiling locals.

Even women visitors are made to feel valued. German traveler Margaritta “felt fantastic,” British YouTuber Zoe Stephens found “a lot more nuance” than media have reported and Australia’s Chloe Baradinsky called her trip “an incredible experience.”

These glowing testimonials have had the impact the Taliban wanted. It grants them legitimacy, and Afghanistan attracted nearly 9,000 foreign visitors last year and another 3,000 in the first quarter of 2025.

For many travel influencers, Afghanistan is an irresistible new frontier to grow their audience and revenue, with one viral clip potentially netting thousands in ad revenue.

The Taliban regime has courted these globetrotting vloggers as informal ambassadors, aiming to bringing hard currency and tourists into a cash-starved economy.

Did the influencers push back against the Taliban messaging?