Meta to Bar Russian State Media From Running Ads, Monetising on Platform

Facebook on Friday restricted Russian state media’s means to earn cash on the social media platform as Moscow’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine reached the streets of Kyiv.

“We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetising on our platform anywhere in the world,” Nathaniel Gleicher, the social media large’s safety coverage head, stated on Twitter.

He added that Facebook would “continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media.”

Facebook’s dad or mum firm Meta stated earlier Friday that Russia would hit its companies with restrictions after it refused authorities’ order to cease utilizing fact-checkers and content material warning labels on its platforms.

Social media networks have change into one of many fronts in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, house to generally deceptive data but additionally real-time monitoring of a shortly creating battle that marks Europe’s largest geopolitical disaster in many years.

“Yesterday, Russian authorities ordered us to stop the independent fact-checking and labelling of content posted on Facebook by four Russian state-owned media organisations,” Meta’s Nick Clegg stated in an announcement. “We refused.”

His assertion got here hours after Russia’s media regulator stated it was limiting entry to Facebook, accusing the US tech large of censorship and violating the rights of Russian residents.

On Wednesday, Facebook additionally launched a function in Ukraine that permits folks to lock their profiles for elevated safety, utilizing a software the corporate additionally deployed after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban final 12 months.

Gleicher stated Facebook had arrange a Special Operations Center to watch the scenario in Ukraine “in response to the unfolding military conflict.”