Tech giant Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a ban on Russian state media outlets including RT, citing their alleged involvement in foreign interference activities. The ban will be implemented on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads globally. This decision comes after the US government imposed sanctions on RT and other Moscow-controlled media outlets.
The Biden administration has taken steps to inform the international community about RT’s role as a “fully fledged member of the intelligence apparatus” and emphasized the importance of promoting truth over Russian propaganda. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the need to expose the Kremlin’s actions and counter lies spread by Russian media.
The US Department of Justice recently indicted two RT employees for an alleged scheme to fund a right-wing media company in Tennessee in order to sow political division. RT had 7.2 million followers on Facebook before the ban was announced and has not commented on Meta’s decision, but has previously dismissed US actions targeting it.
In response to the ban, RT released a statement mocking the DOJ indictments and claiming to easily overcome such challenges. The move by Meta to ban Russian state media outlets reflects a growing trend of tech companies taking action against disinformation and foreign interference, particularly in the wake of geopolitical tensions with Russia.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
