Meta announces a ban on several Russian state media networks

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced a global ban on several Russian state media networks, accusing them of using deceptive tactics to influence public opinion and evade detection on its platforms. 

“Following a thorough review, we have expanded our enforcement actions against Russian state-affiliated outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and related entities are now banned worldwide on our apps due to their involvement in foreign interference activities,” Meta said in a statement.

In response, RT newsreader Eunan O’Neill dismissed the allegations, stating that both the network and Russia deny the accusations that have been levelled against them in recent days. The bans are expected to take effect within the coming days.

Russian state media has been increasingly scrutinised for alleged attempts to influence political landscapes in Western countries. Meta, which also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, has gradually ramped up its actions against these outlets.

This latest move marks a significant escalation in Meta’s approach toward Russian state-controlled media. 

Previously, the company took more moderate steps, such as restricting their ability to run ads and limiting the reach of their content. After the onset of the war in Ukraine, Meta, along with other social media companies, complied with requests from the EU, UK, and Ukraine to block some Russian state media in those regions.

Earlier this month, US authorities accused RT of paying $10 million to a Tennessee-based firm to distribute content with hidden pro-Russian messaging to American audiences. 

An indictment revealed that two RT employees secretly managed the production and distribution of videos, many of which pushed right-wing narratives on issues like immigration, gender, and the economy.

In a separate development last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new sanctions against RT, describing the network as a “de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus.” 

Blinken claimed that Russian-backed media outlets, including RT, have worked covertly to undermine democracy in the US, with some units allegedly having cyber-operational capabilities linked to Russian intelligence.

RT livestreamed Blinken’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the claims as the “US’s latest conspiracy theory.”