Major technology companies have taken steps to prevent Russian state media from using their platforms to spread propaganda and misinformation, particularly among European users.
Digital Desk: In the latest step by Moscow to restrict access to international social media sites, Russian regulators announced Friday that internet users would be unable to access Instagram because it is being used to call for violence against the Russian soldiers.
In a statement, Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications and media regulator, said it is barring national access because the platform is propagating “calls to conduct violent acts against Russian residents, particularly military soldiers.” However, A Facebook parent Meta Platforms, which also owns Instagram, didn’t comment on it immediately.
Roskomnadzor cited a Thursday tweet by Meta spokesman Andy Stone conveying a company statement saying that it had made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules on violent speech, such as death to the Russian invaders.
The Meta spokesman statement came in response to a Reuters report that Meta was temporarily changing its hate speech policy to allow Facebook and Instagram users in certain countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion.
“The company still will not allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” according to the statement.
As part of President Vladimir Putin’s crackdown on social media and news outlets like the BBC, Russia has already blocked access to Facebook, limited access to Twitter, and criminalised the intentional spread of what Moscow considers to be “fake” reports.
Meanwhile, major technology companies have taken steps to prevent Russian state media from using their platforms to spread propaganda and misinformation, particularly among European users.
Meanwhile, Google has blocked European users from viewing RT and Sputnik’s YouTube channels, and TikTok has disabled their European accounts. In addition, Russian state media has been barred from using Instagram and Facebook, according to Meta.
Leave A Comment