Russia has banned Instagram due to «extremist activities»

Russia will restrict access to Instagram. This was stated by Roskomnadzor. 

Earlier, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation sent a request to Roskomnadzor to block the network, and also asked a court to recognize Meta as an «extremist organization» and ban its activity in Russia.

Russia qualified Meta’s actions as «public call to extremism and promotion of terrorism».

This response is due to the fact that earlier, parent company Meta, whose social networks are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, allowed to publish calls for violence against Russian soldiers in the context of the invasion of Ukraine. Consequently, the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Meta, which allowed calls for violence on Facebook and Instagram in the context of Russian war against Ukraine.

Earlier, it was also stated that Instagram will be blocked if the information about Meta allowing calls for violence against Russian soldiers and Putin is confirmed.

«We will block Instagram if the information is confirmed or if Meta does not respond», – stated the head of the committee.

It should be noted that Russia blocked TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

Additionally, as was previously reported, Roskomnadzor at the request of the Prosecutor General Office, blocked the website of TV channel «Dozhd», and  the board of directors terminated «Echo of Moscow» broadcasting and removed the radio station’s website. Also, at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ukrainian publishers «Gordon», «Korrespondent», and «Ukrainska Pravda» were added to the register of prohibited sites in Russia.