- Interfax reports that Russia has added Meta as an extremist and terrorist organization to its list.
- This means Meta services like Instagram and WhatsApp will likely be stopped in the country.
- Russia requested that Meta be classified as an “extremist organisation” in March.
Russia has added Meta, the Facebook owner to its list terrorist and extremist groups. InterfaxReport on Tuesday.
Rosfinmonitoring (Russia’s federal financial monitor service) was responsible for the move, according the report.
All services offered by Meta, such as Instagram and WhatsApp in the country, will be cut off and Russians would be denied access. InsiderPreviously reported.
Interfax also reported that Vesna (the Russian anti-war movement) was added to the terrorist and extremist list on Tuesday.
Insider reached out to Meta, previously known as Facebook. However, they didn’t immediately reply.
Russia’s tech regulator was established in March Facebook blocked access It accused it of discrimination, and claimed that the social media platform had limited user access to government-backed news outlets, such as Russia Today and Sputnik.
Later in the month, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office RequestedRussian state media outlet Tass reported that Meta was being labeled an “extremist organisation” under Russian law.
According to a Reuters report citing several internal emails, Meta temporarily allowed posts that called for violence against Russian invaders from users in certain countries like Ukraine and Poland.
After Meta was found guilty in Russia of “extremist activities”, a Moscow court rejected Meta’s appeal. Reuters reported, citing Tass.
