Meta Expands Crackdown on Russian State Media for Influence Operations

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has announced a global ban on several Russian state media networks, including Rossiya Segodnya and RT. This action comes amid accusations that these outlets have been conducting influence operations through deceptive tactics to avoid detection on Meta’s platforms. The ban will also affect Meta-owned platforms Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.

Meta stated, “After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity.”

This decision marks an escalation in Meta’s stance towards these media organisations, following earlier actions that were more limited in scope.

RT has responded to Meta’s ban, with newsreader Eunan O’Neill stating that the broadcaster, along with Russia as a whole, denies the allegations that have been levelled against them in recent days. In a statement to the BBC, RT commented on the situation: “It’s cute how there’s a competition in the West — who can try to spank RT the hardest, in order to make themselves look better.” The broadcaster suggested that despite these measures, they would continue to find ways to operate: “Don’t worry, where they close a door, and then a window, our ‘partisans’ (or in your parlance, guerrilla fighters) will find the cracks to crawl through — as by your own admission we are apt at doing.”

Meta’s Previous Actions

Meta’s recent ban represents a significant step up from previous measures. Two years ago, Meta took action to limit the reach of Russian state-controlled media on its platforms, which included stopping these outlets from running advertisements and limiting the distribution of their content.

Following the onset of the war in Ukraine, Meta, along with other social media platforms, adhered to requests from the EU, UK, and Ukraine to block certain Russian state media outlets within those regions.

In the wake of these earlier actions, Meta’s global ban signals a more comprehensive effort to counter what it describes as foreign interference activities conducted by Russian state media entities. This move follows increasing scrutiny and allegations against Russian state media for attempts to influence political discourse in Western countries.

Recent Allegations Against RT

This development follows recent accusations against RT by the US government. Earlier this month, RT was accused of paying a Tennessee-based firm $10 million to “create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.” An indictment claimed that these videos promoted narratives on topics such as immigration, gender, and the economy, and were secretly managed by two RT employees. The content was allegedly designed to push right-wing perspectives in an attempt to influence US public opinion.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, also announced new sanctions against RT, describing it as a “de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus.” He claimed that RT, along with other Russian-backed media outlets, has been covertly working to “undermine democracy in the United States.” According to Blinken, the Russian government has embedded a unit within RT that has cyber-operational capabilities and links to Russian intelligence. RT responded to these accusations by livestreaming Blinken’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter), referring to them as the “US’s latest conspiracy theory.”

Reactions and Implications

The Russian embassy in Washington and Rossiya Segodnya, the owner of the Sputnik news agency, have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Meta’s ban. The move is likely to further strain relations between Western social media companies and Russian state media, which have been contentious in recent years.

This action by Meta aligns with a broader pattern of increased scrutiny and regulation of state-affiliated media on major social media platforms. The decision also reflects the ongoing concerns about the influence of foreign state media in shaping public discourse and potentially interfering in democratic processes.

Meta’s ban on Russian state media networks is expected to take effect in the coming days. The effectiveness of this ban in preventing influence operations and the potential responses from the affected media outlets and the Russian government remain to be seen.