Topline
Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation into Facebook parent company Meta and moved to label the company an “extremist organization” and ban its operations in Russia in response to Meta temporarily allowing users on Facebook to express hate speech against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meta logo displayed on a phone with the Russian flag in the background. (Photo Illustration by Jakub … [+]
Key Facts
Russia’s Investigative Committee, a federal agency that investigates major crimes and reports to President Vladimir Putin, said Friday that a criminal case has opened “in connection with illegal calls for murder and violence against citizens of the Russian Federation” by Meta, Reuters reported
Russian prosecutors asked a court Friday to designate Meta as an “extremist organization” and ban its operations in Russia, Russian news agency RIA reported.
A spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “Most decisive actions to block the activities of” Meta would be needed if the company’s decision to ease hate speech rules against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is confirmed, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Russia suggested that WhatsApp, the most popular mobile messaging app in the country, would not be affected by the criminal case against Meta, RIA reported citing a source.
Russian prosecutors are also taking steps to restrict access to Instagram, the most popular social network there, saying the platform is being used to incite Russians to participate “in riots accompanied by violence” after the country banned access to Facebook and Twitter last week.
Meta did not immediately respond to a Forbes request for comment.
Key Background
Russia’s move to clampdown on Meta comes a day after Reuters reported that the company had temporarily lifted its hate speech rules against Russia on Facebook in the context of the attack on Ukraine. The policy change would allow posts like ones that call for death to Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, but calls for violence against civilians would continue to be banned. The policy changes apply to users in: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine, Reuters reported. The Russian Embassy in the United States reacted to the policy change in a tweet Thursday, saying U.S. authorities should “stop the extremist activities of Meta,” and that users on Facebook and Instagram did not give Meta “the right to determine the criteria of truth and pit nations against each other.” Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said on social media that Meta’s “aggressive and criminal policy leading to incitement of hatred and hostility towards Russians is outrageous,” the Journal reported. The United Nations human rights office called Facebook’s policy change “concerning.” Last week, Russia banned access to Facebook and Twitter, further stifling Russians from sharing their opposition to Russia’s actions and getting information on the war in Ukraine.
Crucial Quote
“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,” a Meta spokesperson confirmed to multiple outlets.
Further Reading
Russia opens criminal case against Meta over death calls on Facebook (Reuters)
Facebook allows war posts urging violence against Russian invaders (Reuters)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/03/11/russia-opens-criminal-case-against-meta-and-seeks-to-designate-it-an-extremist-organization/