Meta bans Russian media over interference

Meta, which owns platforms such as Facebook, has banned the Russian state media RT and other state media from its platforms globally. This decision came after suspicions that Russian media were attempting to meddle in foreign affairs and attempting to evade detection by Meta’s systems. Meta’s ban includes major Russian state media group Rossiya Segodnya and state-controlled TV station RT. The prohibition covers all of Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. According to Reuters news agency, this action represents a significant tightening of Meta’s previous more limited measures. There have been long-standing reports of Russia attempting to interfere in foreign elections, including those in the USA. The US Justice Minister Merrick Garland stated that individuals close to President Vladimir Putin have engaged PR firms to spread misinformation to influence the outcome of the upcoming presidential election on November 5.