Facebook and Instagram censored hashtags that were related to the Russian massacres of Ukrainian civilians, but on Apr. 4, the two social media platforms unblocked them.
Facebook and Instagram Unblocked Hashtag
The blocked hashtags on the platforms are #RussianWarCrimes, #Bucha, and #BuchaMassacre. These are references to atrocities uncovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha in recent days after the withdrawal of Russian troops.
The horrific images from the town of Kyiv appeared to show civilian mass graves, and unarmed people shot in the head with their hands tied behind their backs, prompting US President Biden to call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be put on trial for the country's war crimes.
A Ukrainian journalist was the first one to report about the blocked Facebook and Instagram hashtags on Apr. 3.
On Apr. 4, Meta spokesman Andy Stone said that the company had unblocked the hashtags after a New York Times reporter drew attention to the issue.
Stone said that what the journalist reported about the blocked hashtags is that it happened automatically because of the graphic content people posted using the said hashtags.
When Facebook and Instagram were made aware of the issue, they acted quickly to unblock the hashtags.
However, it is unclear exactly how long the hashtags were blocked or how many posts were affected by it. Meta did not respond to a request for more details about it.
Meta has found itself at the center of numerous controversies related to Russia's war on Ukraine. Russia blocked both Instagram and Facebook in March in retaliation for the platforms restricting Russian state propaganda accounts.
Meta also loosened its hate speech policy back in March to allow users in some countries to call for violence against the country and its soldiers in the context of the Ukraine war, according to Reuters.
Facebook and Instagram Blocked Due to Extremist Law
According to The Guardian, a Russian court has banned the social media platforms in the country, labeling its parent company Meta as extremist amid the Kremlin's crackdown on western social media giants.
Access to Instagram and Facebook had already been restricted in early March after Meta confirmed that it was relaxing its policies on hate speech towards Russian soldiers and President Vladimir Putin in relation to its war in Ukraine. Meta said that the laxer rules would only apply to those posting from inside Ukraine.
The court in Moscow said that Facebook and Instagram, both of which are widely used among the Russians, were carrying out extremist activities.
But it said that Meta's WhatsApp messenger service would not be prohibited in the country because it was means of communication and not a source of information.
Russia's FSB security service accused the company of creating an alternative reality in which hatred for the Russians was kindled. The activities of the Meta organization are directed against Russia and the armed forces.
FSB representative Igor Kovalevsky told the Russian court that the activities of the Meta organization are directed against Russia and the armed forces.
Previously, groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Taliban, and an organization led by the jailed Kremlin opponent Aleksei Navalny have been targeted under the same "extremism" law.
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Written by Sophie Webster
