A Taste of Their Own Medicine: Russia Blacklists Facebook, Twitter

The Russian government has reportedly blocked access to Facebook and Twitter completely in the country in response to the social media Masters of the Universe placing restrictions on Russian state media.

The Guardian reports that Russia has blocked access to Facebook and Twitter in retaliation for the platforms placing restrictions on Russian-state media such as Russia Today and Sputnik. Breitbart News previously reported that Facebook (including Instagram), YouTube, and TikTok have completely banned Russian media outlets like Russia Today and Sputnik throughout the European Union.

An armored personnel carrier burns and damaged light utility vehicles stand abandoned after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The city authorities said that Ukrainian forces engaged in fighting with Russian troops that entered the country’s second-largest city on Sunday. (Marienko Andrew/AP)

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Now, the Russian state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has announced that both Facebook and Twitter will be restricted in the country. Roskomndazor alleges that there have been 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020. The regulator has accused Facebook of violating the “rights and freedoms of Russian nationals.”

As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, the country has called on tech giants to take action against the aggressor nation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented on the effect of Russian media, stating: “The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war.”

Facebook President of Global Policy Nick Clegg stated that the company had received requests from a “number of governments” as well as the European Union to restrict Russian state media. “Given the exceptional nature of the current situation, we will be restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU at this time,” Clegg said.

Breitbart News also previously reported that Twitter claims to have banned over a dozen accounts linked to Russian disinformation operations. A Twitter spokesperson said in a statement: “On Feb. 27, we permanently suspended more than a dozen accounts and blocked sharing of several links in violation of our platform manipulation and spam policy. Our investigation is ongoing; however, our initial findings indicate that the accounts and links originated in Russia and were attempting to disrupt the public conversation around the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.”