Russia’s telecommunications regulator said Friday that it blocked access to Facebook after the world’s largest social network started to make content from Russian state-controlled media tougher to find on its platform.
Facebook has been facing more pressure to limit access to Russian state-controlled media because of concerns these sites are spreading false claims and propaganda. Last week, Russia said it was partly restricting access to Facebook by slowing down traffic to the site after the social network refused to stop fact-checking and labeling content posted on Facebook by four Russian state-owned media organizations. On Tuesday, Facebook announced more restrictions against Russian media, including demoting posts globally that contain links to Russian state-controlled media such as RT and Sputnik.
Despite concerns about the spread of disinformation, Facebook has stopped short of cutting off access to its platforms in Russia. The company says it wants to promote freedom of expression. The social media giant says people in Russia are also using its services to protest and show the world what’s happening in real time.
Facebook isn’t the only service Russia is cracking down on. The country reportedly blocked access to several big app stores, Western news organizations and other social media sites.
Der Spiegel reporter Mathieu von Rohr tweeted on Thursday that Russia has also blocked news organizations BBC and Deutsche Welle, and app stores, though he didn’t specify whether this referred to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s tech minister asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to block App Store access in Russia. The tech giant didn’t go that far when it took action days ago, choosing instead to pull access to RT News and Sputnik News from the App Store outside Russia and stop selling products in Russia.
Facebook and YouTube have also restricted access to Russian state-controlled media like RT and Sputnik.