Meta Globally Bans Russian State Media
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has globally banned Russian state media outlet RT and other Russsian networks, accusing them of deceptive influence operations.
Meta announced on Monday that it has banned RT and other Russian state-controlled media from its platforms, citing concerns over foreign interference.
"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," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement obtained by NBC News.
Prior to this move, RT had a substantial following with 7.2 million followers on Facebook and 1 million on Instagram.
The ban follows recent US sanctions against Russian media outlets, part of a broader crackdown on Russian influence. Russia has denied allegations of foreign interference, claiming they are attempts to stifle alternative viewpoints.
In response to the US government's actions, RT released mocking statements without directly addressing the charges. The Justice Department's indictment is part of wider US efforts to curtail Russian state-controlled media's influence, particularly in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Meta's actions come after a long struggle with Russian state actors, especially after blocking ads from Russian state-run media following the invasion. Executives from Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet are set to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday regarding their platforms' efforts to combat foreign threats to US elections.