Russia bans Instagram and Facebook

A Moscow court banned the social networks Facebook and Instagram after considering that their parent company, Meta, is “extremist”, thus admitting a request from the General Prosecutor’s Office, which also called for the application of the order with “immediate” effects.

The Prosecutor’s Office advocated taking action against the US company for not removing content where violence was allegedly encouraged, although the Justice left the WhatsApp instant messaging service and the managers and users of the now prohibited networks out of the accusation, according to the Interfax agency.

Both Facebook and Instagram are already banned in Russia, since March 4 and 14, respectively, after the authorities have tightened pressure on the media and on the Internet to try to control information about the military offensive launched in Ukraine.

The Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case due to Meta’s refusal to suppress calls for violence against Russians, including the military. Russia had already blocked Instagram and restricted access to Facebook.

“The reason for this process was the temporary lifting of the ban on publishing information calling for violence against Russians”. Meta announced a little over a week ago that, temporarily due to the military offensive in Ukraine, it allows users to skip its rules of use and send messages that would normally be prohibited such as “death to the Russian invader“.

K. Tovar

Source: Descifrado