Russia's Investigative Committee, the top crime and anti-corruption investigative body, has launched an investigation into whether the company Meta is an extremist organization.
This move is a consequence of Meta's decision, last week, to relax the rules on incitement to violence posted on Facebook and Instagram platforms, but only within Ukraine.
Although the investigation is said to be ongoing, the Russian regulator technologyRoskomnadzor ordered that Instagram be blocked from Russia as well, again citing Meta's policy on posts that promote violence.
The regulator announced on March 11 the blocking of the Instagram platform from March 14 at 00:00, with the interim period being offered so that Russian users can download the data them and move them to other social networks. So Instagram is also blocked from today in Russia.
Russians now find it difficult to use others services except those hosted in Russia, although these are increasingly subject to pervasive surveillance as the Putin regime moves toward zero tolerance of dissent about his policies, and particularly his illegal invasion of Ukraine.
The use of Facebook and Instagram in addition to the possibility of chatting and gossip has offered some Russian users thousands of euros from ads, product promotions, etc.
