City
Epaper

Meta bans Russian state media outlets over foreign 'interference'

By IANS | Updated: September 17, 2024 10:05 IST

New York, Sep 17 Social media giant Meta announced that it has banned Russian state media broadcaster RT ...

Open in App

New York, Sep 17 Social media giant Meta announced that it has banned Russian state media broadcaster RT and other Kremlin-controlled networks over the alleged "foreign interference activity."

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has alleged that the outlets were involved in deceptive influence operations and tried to avoid detection.

Announcing the move in a statement on Monday, a Meta spokesperson stated, "After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity."

The ban will be implemented in the upcoming days across Meta's platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. The social media giant has been shrinking the influence of the Russian state-controlled media across its platforms since 2022.

Before the ban, RT had 7.2 million Facebook followers and 1 million Instagram followers.

This action is in response to recent allegations by the US that Russian media, especially RT, has been participating in covert activities to influence worldwide viewers.

Earlier this month, two RT workers were charged by US authorities with money laundering. They are accused of planning to engage an American company to create material with the intention of impacting the 2024 US presidential election.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on several countries to treat the Russian state broadcaster RT in the same manner as "covert intelligence operations."

The coordinator for the State Department's Global Engagement Center, James Rubin, restated these worries, labelling RT as a channel where "propaganda, disinformation, and lies are spread to millions, if not billions, of people around the globe."

RT has derided the actions of the US, accusing it of trying to impede the broadcaster from operating as a journalistic organisation.

Meanwhile, Russia has not yet commented on the ban.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Open in App

Related Stories

Entertainment'Asked Me To Strip': Actress Navina Bole Accuses Sajid Khan Of Sexual Harassment

BusinessAgricultural Universities must script new chapter for farmers’ prosperity: Vice Prez Dhankhar

NationalAgricultural Universities must script new chapter for farmers’ prosperity: Vice Prez Dhankhar

EntertainmentTrailer of Samantha Ruth Prabhu's debut production 'Subham' out now

NationalNHRC orders Rs 10 lakh relief in 2 cases of custodial death

International Realted Stories

InternationalETGE denounces China's genocide in East Turkistan at Colonial Crimes Conference in Ankara

InternationalUganda declares end of Ebola outbreak

InternationalDeath toll in Iran port explosion mounts to 25

InternationalMassive vigil in Toronto calls on Canada to designate Pakistan as terrorist state after Kashmir attack

InternationalPaank condemns surge in enforced disappearances across Balochistan, demands immediate accountability