On September 16, Facebook’s parent company Meta announced that it will ban RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and other Russian state media from posting content on its platform, citing the use of deceptive tactics for covert online influence activities.
This ban marks a significant escalation in measures taken by the world’s largest social media company against Russian state media. Prior actions taken by Meta were relatively limited, such as banning these media outlets from advertising and reducing the spread of their posts.
In a written statement, Meta stated, “After careful consideration, we are expanding enforcement against Russian state media. Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and other related entities are banned from using our applications globally for engaging in foreign interference activities.”
The company mentioned that the enforcement of the ban will commence in the following days. Besides Facebook, other platforms under Meta’s umbrella such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads are also included in the ban.
The ban has been strongly opposed by Russia. A Kremlin spokesperson stated, “Meta is tarnishing itself with these actions. Selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable… This complicates the prospect of normalizing our relationship with Meta.”
In 2022, the Russian government labeled Meta as an “extremist” organization and blocked Instagram and Facebook. Prior to that, Meta amended its hate speech policies to allow users to express dissatisfaction over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia also criticized Meta’s previous efforts to restrict the spread of Russian media and has fined the company multiple times for failing to remove content deemed illegal by Russia.
WhatsApp has not been banned in Russia yet and continues to be used by millions of users.
The White House declined to comment on Meta’s actions, which come after the U.S. filed money laundering charges against two RT employees. The U.S. alleges that these two RT employees hired American companies to produce online content to influence the 2024 U.S. election.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Friday, September 13, that countries should consider RT’s activities as covert intelligence operations.
RT has mocked the U.S.’s actions and accused the U.S. of trying to hinder the broadcast company’s operation as a news organization.
According to a summary document released by the U.S. State Department, RT has set up a large online fundraising platform through social media to provide material support and equipment, including sniper rifles, silencers, scopes, bulletproof vests, night vision equipment, drones, radios, and diesel generators, to Russian forces on the Ukrainian battlefield.
RT’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Editor of Russian state news agency Sputnik, Anton Anisimov, oversees this military fundraising project. The U.S. State Department noted that the equipment purchased includes items manufactured in China, such as reconnaissance drones.
(Reference from Reuters)