Russia bans Insta, Facebook, Whatsapp across country to curb spreading of fake news

Russia has placed strict restrictions on four of the world’s biggest social media platforms, Facebook,Whatsapp,Youtube, and Instagram, according to reports. The government says the decision was taken to control the spread of false information, protect national security, and reduce foreign influence on Russian citizens.

The action mainly began after rising tensions between Russia and Western countries. Russian authorities accused these platforms of allowing content that they claim spreads fake news, anti-government messages, and information that goes against Russian laws. Because of this, access to these platforms has been blocked or heavily limited across the country. 

Facebook and Instagram, which are owned by Meta, faced the strongest action. In 2022, a Russian court officially declared Meta an extremist organisation. After this decision, both Facebook and Instagram were completely banned in Russia.

Youtube, owned by Google, has not been fully banned yet, but it has faced major restrictions. Russian officials have repeatedly accused Youtube of removing Russian media channels and promoting content that criticises the government. There have also been threats from Russian authorities to fully block the platform in the future if it does not follow local laws.

International organisations and human rights groups have criticized Russia’s actions. They say these bans limit freedom of expression and reduce people’s access to independent global information. 

The situation remains uncertain, as tensions between Russia and global technology companies continue. Further restrictions on foreign digital platforms are possible in the future.