Meta blocks Russian state-controlled media in Ukraine

Social media giant and owner of platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, Meta, has blocked access to several Russian state-controlled accounts in Ukraine.

The company officials say that they are also reviewing other countries’ requests to restrict access to these accounts in their countries.

Vice president of global affairs at Meta Nick Clegg, said in a tweet on Monday that they are in touch with the Ukrainian government.

Clegg posted that “At their request, we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organisations.”

He added that “We are also reviewing other government requests to restrict Russian state-controlled media.”

The Ukrainian government has also suggested that Meta block Russian officials’ access to Facebook and Instagram in Russia.

“However, people in Russia are using FB and IG to protest and organise against the war and as a source of independent information,” he informed.

He said that “The Russian government is already throttling our platform to prevent these activities. We believe turning off our services would silence important expression at a crucial time,”

Also Read: Russia says Ukraine civilians can ‘freely’ leave Kyiv

Facing partial restrictions, Meta last weekend had prohibited Russian state media from running ads or monetising on its platform globally.

A special operations centre staffed by experts from across the company, including native Russian and Ukrainian speakers has been established by Meta. The team is monitoring the platform continuously, enabling the company to respond to issues in real-time.

The company informed that they have added several safety features in Ukraine, including the ability for people to lock their Facebook profile, removing the ability to view and search friends lists, and additional tools on Messenger.

YouTube has also announced that it is temporarily halting the ability of a number of Russian channels, including state-sponsored RT, to monetise their content on the platform.

Earlier, Russia had blocked Twitter to stop the flow of information following its invasion of Ukraine.