Russian Court Bans Instagram, Facebook, Labels Parent Company Meta As Extremist

A Russian court has banned Facebook and Instagram from the country after labeling their parent company, Meta, as “extremist”, reports Reuters. 

Prior to this, Russia already banned Facebook for restricting access to Russian media while it banned Instagram after Meta announced that it would allow Instagram and Facebook users in Ukraine and certain countries to call for violence against the Russian president and his troops under the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders.’ We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” said a Meta spokesperson.