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Meta kicks Russian state media out of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp
Meta Platforms has blocked RT, Rossiya Segodnya and other Russian state media worldwide on its own online services. These bodies, which are subordinate to the Russian government or are state-funded, are said to be using deceptive tactics to covertly influence the ongoing presidential election campaign in the USA. The ban affects all of Meta’s platforms, namely Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp.
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RT and Sputnik have been banned in the EU since March 2022 due to allegations of war propaganda following the Russian attack on Ukraine. Meta then blocked Russian state media in the EU. YouTube even preceded the EU ban and blocked RT and Sputnik channels in Europe. In addition, content denying the Russian invasion of Ukraine was removed from YouTube.
In the USA, this content has been more widely distributed. However, Meta has not shown advertisements from Russian state media worldwide for two years and has given their posts a lower priority so that they are shown less often. In addition, users had to explicitly confirm if they wanted to share or click on posts of this type.
RT with over 7 million followers on Facebook
Now Meta Platforms is stepping up its efforts. “After careful consideration, we have expanded our ongoing actions against Russian state media. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other affiliates are now banned from our apps worldwide due to foreign interference activities,” reads Meta’s written statement. compared to Reuters.
RT previously had more than 7.2 million followers on Facebook and over a million followers on Instagram. In addition, the YouTube channels of Russian state media that had already been blocked have been permanently deleted, as a spokeswoman for Google’s Alphabet group explained. This affects over 230 channels that belong to Rossiya Segodnya and “AVO TV Novosti”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Meta is discrediting itself with these actions. Such selective measures against Russian media are unacceptable. This complicates the prospects of normalizing our relations with Meta.” Facebook and Instagram have been banned in Russia since March 2022 because, in Moscow’s view, the platforms did not take action against criticism of the attack on Ukraine expressed there. Meta was therefore classified as an “extremist organization” in Russia. However, WhatsApp is still permitted in the country and is also used by millions of Russians.
Accusations by the US State Department against RT & Co.
The reason for the bans and exclusions of Russian state media by Meta and YouTube is a Statement from the US State Department At the end of last week. Russian state media are accused of having links to Russian intelligence activities, for example to destabilize foreign systems. According to RT employees, “RT is involved in information operations, covert influence and military procurement. These operations target countries all over the world, including Europe, Africa and North and South America.”
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However, the United States State Department will not take action against these agencies or individuals involved for spreading disinformation; the United States continues to support freedom of expression. However, measures are being taken against covert influence activities: “Covert influence is not journalism.”
RT makes fun of USA and Meta
RT itself reacted sarcastically to the US accusations and the exclusion from Meta. In an RT article explained RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyanthat RT learned from Americans, not from Russian spies. When asked by Ars Technica said an RT spokesmaneven with closed doors and windows, you will find a gap to crawl through.
At X (formerly Twitter) writes RT “Silence us all you want, but the truth cannot be silenced.” However, RT on X is not accessible in most European countries. Officially, the account was withdrawn due to legal demands such as a court order.
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