Russia has announced it will block Instagram after its parent company Meta said it would allow calls for violence against Vladimir Putin and Russian soldiers involved in the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian prosecutor's office demanded access to the platform be blocked on Friday, citing reports of relaxed hate speech policies related to the war.
The prosecutor's office said it had moved to recognise Meta as an “extremist organisation and ban its activities on the territory of Russia”, claiming the platform had been used to incite “mass riots accompanied by violence”. Several Russian regional governors deleted their Instagram accounts on Friday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti.
Meta also owns Facebook, which Russia blocked last week, and WhatsApp, one of Russia's most popular messaging apps. It is not yet clear if WhatsApp will also be targeted. The crackdown further limits Russians' access to outside information on the war, increasing the influence of state media. Putin recently signed legislation threatening up to 15 years in prison for sharing “fake information” about the war.
Meta's decision to allow speech targeting Russians is part of a wave of corporate activism over the invasion, with hundreds of brands leaving Russia. The invasion has caused thousands of deaths and a refugee crisis, with over 2 million people fleeing Ukraine.
On Friday, Meta's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said the policy changes only apply in Ukraine and are “focused on protecting people’s rights to speech as an expression of self-defence in reaction to a military invasion”. He said the company has “no quarrel with the Russian people” and the changes are temporary. A Meta spokesperson earlier stated they temporarily allow forms of political expression like “death to the Russian invaders” but still prohibit credible calls for violence against Russian civilians.
