Facebook, Instagram & WhatsApp Ban Russian State Media

A significant shift is underway as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a global ban on several Russian state-controlled media outlets. This decision specifically targets the TV network RT, previously known as Russia Today, and the media group Rossiya Segodnya, along with other affiliated entities. The ban extends to Meta’s messaging service WhatsApp and the platform Threads, marking a decisive move against what the company describes as “foreign interference activity.”

Global Ban from Meta Platforms

Meta has expressed concerns regarding the tactics employed by these Russian state media networks, alleging that they engage in deceptive practices to influence public opinion online. As a result, the company is set to implement a comprehensive ban across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, in the coming days. A statement from Meta reads:

“After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity.”

This action follows recent sanctions imposed on RT by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who accused the network of facilitating the “Russian weaponization of disinformation” aimed at undermining democratic societies worldwide.

Rossiya Segodnya and RT

Both Rossiya Segodnya and RT are recognized as Kremlin-backed organizations. While Rossiya Segodnya translates to ‘Russia Today’, the two entities are presented as independent, though they share the same editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan. Established in 2013, Rossiya Segodnya encompasses RIA Novosti, a state-run news agency with roots dating back to 1941 during Joseph Stalin’s era. It also oversees the international Sputnik news outlet and broadcaster.

The RT network has faced bans in various countries, with its applications removed from app stores outside Russia due to persistent allegations of disseminating disinformation and promoting Russian propaganda.

Meta and Social Media Bans

This latest ban is not an isolated incident for Meta. The company has previously enacted similar measures, most notably in 2021 when it temporarily suspended Donald Trump’s account due to “violations and the ongoing risk of violence” linked to his posts surrounding the January 6th Capitol riots. In 2018, controversial figure Alex Jones was also banned from Facebook, alongside other platforms like Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, for violating community standards related to hate speech.

In a notable move in 2021, Facebook took the unprecedented step of blocking all news links from Australian publishers in response to proposed legislation that would require payment to news organizations for content shared on its platform. This history of bans highlights Meta’s ongoing efforts to regulate content and maintain its community standards across its platforms.

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