The spokesperson for Meta, Andy Stone, has been placed on Russia's federal wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As part of a broader crackdown on independent media, the Russian government took measures to block Western social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X within the country.
Placing Meta's Spox on Russia's Federal Wanted List
Andy Stone, the press secretary for Meta, has recently been added to the wanted list under a criminal article, as per details obtained from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs search database. Information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs database card indicates that Stone has been newly placed on the wanted list.
Politico reported that the database notes that Stone is wanted under a specific article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, with no explicit details on the grounds for the search provided.
In mid-November 2023, a Russian court issued an in absentia arrest order for Stone under the charge of promoting terrorism. This became the basis for a case opened by the Investigative Committee on March 11, 2022.
Russia's federal Investigative Committee initiated a criminal investigation into Meta. Mediazona reported that they allege that the company's post-invasion actions in Ukraine constituted an incitement to violence against Russians.
Following the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine, Stone announced temporary adjustments to the company's hate speech policy. These changes permitted forms of political expression that would normally violate its rules, including violent speech like "death to the Russian invaders."
Stone clarified in the same statement that despite these adjustments, credible calls for violence against Russian civilians would continue to be prohibited.
Broader Crackdown on Independent Media
The Russian government, as part of a broader crackdown on independent media and dissenting voices, took measures to block Western social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X within the country.
Voa reported that this restriction aimed to control the flow of information and prevent the spread of content that might be critical of the government's actions or perspectives on the conflict.
Access to these blocked platforms became possible only through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), allowing users to bypass the restrictions by masking their location.
Additionally, in April 2022, Russia formally barred Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg from entering the country. This move may be seen as a response to Meta's role in operating platforms that were being used to share information and opinions contrary to the official narrative.
Recent developments in Russia could lead to potential imprisonment of up to 10 years for Russian residents and businesses accused of "sponsoring extremism" through the purchase of ads on Facebook or Instagram.
Addressing the situation, a Russian lawmaker stated channel that despite Rosfinmonitoring's decision to designate Meta as an extremist organization, users of Meta's social networks do not violate the law.
He emphasized that this stance remains unchanged, even after the court had previously banned Meta products. Additionally, the lawmaker clarified that Meta's WhatsApp messaging app is not included in the extremist label.
Related Article: Russia Tags Facebook Owner Meta as 'Terrorist and Extremist'
