Instagram is no longer accessible in Russia, news agency AFP reported earlier today. The development was inevitable as users of the platform in the country were notified of the upcoming situation. Instagram had said that its services in Russia amid the war with Ukraine would be shut post midnight. The platform’s head, Adam Mosseri, had said that the decision would cut 80 million users in Vladamir Putin-governed Russia, where the platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok also remain highly popular.
The development comes days after Reuters claimed that Meta is seemingly changing its security practices to allow “Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion." The report stated that Meta-owned platforms like Instagram would allow some posts to call for Russian President Vladamir Putin’s death. The Russian administration, as expected, did not welcome the changes and even decided to deem Meta as an “extremist organisation".
Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, later clarified that the company’s policies focus on “protecting people’s right to speech," and it would not tolerate “Russophobia". However, the new policy only applies to Ukraine, triggering a rift between Russia and Meta. Russia later decided to block Instagram and said its national internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, would “restrict access" to Instagram. The statement reads, “Instagram social network distributes informational materials containing calls to commit violent acts against citizens of the Russian Federation, including military personnel".
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A separate Reuters report claimed that the Russian state regulators started warning users to move photos and videos from Instagram before the shutdown. Users were advised to switch to Russia’s own “competitive internet platforms". Meanwhile, Facebook and Twitter were facing restrictions inside Russia; however, a ban could open doors for newer development. One report suggests that Instagram is still accessible via VPN, though more clarity is awaited.
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