After blocking Facebook, the Russian government is preparing to “restrict access” to Instagram for permitting posts calling for violence against Russian soldiers invading Ukraine.
On Friday, Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor announced it would limit access to the Meta-owned social media platform for users across the country. Whether this will amount to a total block of Instagram is unclear. But Roskomnadzor said it’s cracking down on the social media service for allowing users to post about committing “violent acts against citizens of the Russian Federation, including military personnel.”
Roskomnadzor made the announcement, citing a statement from Meta spokesperson Andy Stone, who confirmed on Thursday that the company is temporarily permitting calls for violence against Russian troops, but in the context of the war in Ukraine.
“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.'” Stone wrote. “We still won't allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians.”
According to Reuters, Meta is also permitting calls for violence against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for their invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the company is permitting the calls for violence in not only Ukraine, but also in Russia and in 10 other neighboring countries. (The US was not included.)
News of Meta’s decision to permit the calls for violence initially prompted the Kremlin to warn it was preparing to ban Instagram unless it backtracked. "If Meta confirms this fact or declines to comment, that will be a reason for Roscomnadzor and other colleagues to take the toughest measures," a Kremlin official told Russian news agency TASS.
Roscomnadzor now seems poised to block Instagram. That means millions of Russian internet users will lose access to a popular social media platform, unless they use a VPN. The blocking will also deny Russian access to a source of independent news about the war in Ukraine.
All my feed on Instagram now is with goodbye messages from people in opposition. pic.twitter.com/XW9xOlkwCi— Natasha from Russia ?? (@natashasrussia) March 11, 2022