# Russia blocks Facebook, accusing it of restricting access to Russian media
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-03-04
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Russia blocks Meta's Facebook over media restrictions
Meta Description: Russia's communications regulator announces the block due to alleged restrictions on Russian media on Meta's platform. Meta vows to restore services.
URL: https://financedigest.com/russia-blocks-facebook-accusing-it-of-restricting-access-to-russian-mediahtml

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By Elizabeth Culliford

(Reuters) – Russia is blocking Meta Platforms Inc’s Facebook, the country’s communications regulator said on Friday, in response to what it said were restrictions on access to Russian media on the platform.

The regulator, Roskomnadzor, said there had been 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020, with access restricted to state-backed channels like RT and the RIA news agency.

Meta’s head of global affairs Nick Clegg said the [company would continue to do everything it could to restore its services](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-financial-services-companies-compete-more-effectively-in-times-of-uncertainty.html "How can Financial Services Companies compete more effectively in times of uncertainty?").

[“Soon millions of ordinary Russian will find themselves cut](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-plans-to-cut-thousands-of-jobs-as-soon-as-this-week-bloomberg-news.html "Meta plans to cut thousands of jobs as soon as this week – Bloomberg News") off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out,” he said, in a statement posted on Twitter.

Meta this week said it had restricted [access to RT and Sputnik across](https://www.financedigest.com/700000-employees-across-the-uk-have-access-to-fair-finance-will-reach-one-million-employees-in-2017.html "700,000 Employees Across The UK Have Access to Fair Finance, Will Reach One Million Employees in 2017") the European Union and was globally demoting content from Russian state-controlled outlets’ Facebook pages and Instagram accounts, as well as posts containing links to those outlets on Facebook.

Last week, Moscow said it was partially limiting access to Facebook, a [move the company](https://www.financedigest.com/exxon-sues-eu-in-move-to-block-new-windfall-tax-on-oil-companies.html "Exxon sues EU in move to block new windfall tax on oil companies") said came after it refused a government request to stop the independent fact-checking of several Russian state media outlets. By Saturday, Twitter also said its [service was being restricted for some Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-services-activity-shrinks-for-third-month-running-in-dec-pmi.html "Russian services activity shrinks for third month running in Dec -PMI") users.

Major tech and [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/why-no-event-should-be-planned-without-a-social-media-strategy.html "Why No Event Should Be Planned Without a Social Media Strategy") companies have faced pressure to respond to last Thursday’s invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has led to economic sanctions against Moscow by governments around the world. [Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.”](https://www.financedigest.com/kfc-franchisees-in-russia-ask-govt-to-halt-sale-of-stores-to-local-operator-ria.html "KFC franchisees in Russia ask govt to halt sale of stores to local operator – RIA")

Roskomnadzor said Meta had restricted access to the accounts of state-backed news outlets in recent days, listing RT, Sputnik, the [RIA news agency](https://www.financedigest.com/board-of-russias-avtovaz-approves-585-million-in-2023-investment-programme-ria-agency.html "Board of Russia’s AvtoVAZ approves 5 million in 2023 investment programme – RIA agency"), the defense ministry’s Zvezda TV and websites gazeta.ru and lenta.ru.

It said such restrictions violated the key principles of freedom of information and Russian [internet users’ unimpeded access](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter ") to Russian media.

[(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-report-reveals-risk-compliance-staff-expect-to-see-significant-benefits-from-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-distributed-ledger-technologies.html "Thomson Reuters Report Reveals Risk & Compliance Staff Expect to See Significant Benefits from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technologies")


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