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Russia\u2019s bid to arrest Meta spokesperson revealed amid media crackdown | Russia-Ukraine war News<\/p>\n
Russia has put the communications director of social media company Meta on a wanted list, it has been revealed, amid Moscow\u2019s announcement of new media restrictions ahead of next year\u2019s presidential election.<\/p>\n
Andy Stone, a spokesperson of US tech giant Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is wanted on unspecified criminal charges, Russian news wires reported late on Sunday, referring to an Interior Ministry database.<\/p>\n
Russia added Meta to its list of \u201cterrorists and extremist\u201d organisations last year. The list includes right-wing nationalist groups; foreign \u201cterrorist organisations,\u201d including the Taliban; and Russian opposition groups. The classification means Russians using Facebook and Instagram could face possible criminal charges.<\/p>\n
According to Mediazona, an independent news website that covers Russia\u2019s opposition and prison system, Stone was put on the wanted list in February 2022, but authorities made no related statements at the time and no news media reported on the matter until this week.<\/p>\n
In April 2022, Russia also formally barred Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg from entering the country.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s row with Meta started with its invasion of Ukraine, as users from both sides of the war voiced their unfiltered emotions on the platforms.<\/p>\n
Stone, at that time, announced temporary changes to Meta\u2019s hate speech policy to allow for \u201cforms of political expression that would normally violate [its] rules, like violent speech such as \u2018death to the Russian invaders\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n
In the same statement, Stone added that \u201ccredible calls for violence against Russian civilians\u201d would remain banned.<\/p>\n
In late March, Russia banned Facebook and Instagram for \u201ccarrying out extremist activities\u201d after authorities accused Meta of tolerating \u201cRussophobia\u201d.<\/p>\n
Facebook and Instagram have been inaccessible in Russia since, but many Russians resorted to using VPNs to keep using the social media networks.<\/p>\n
Instagram is particularly popular in Russia and is an important platform for advertisement and sales.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin\u00a0approved changes to a law that will curtail media coverage of next year\u2019s presidential election, according to local news agencies.<\/p>\n
To enforce this ban, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media also reportedly plans to block certain virtual private networks (VPNs) that Russians widely use to bypass internet restrictions.<\/p>\n