Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Mar 14: Social media app Instagram’s service has been banned for users in Russia from the intervening night of Sunday and Monday (March 13-14).
This decision comes following Instagram owner Meta Platforms’ announcement last week that it would enable social media users in Ukraine to post slogans such as ‘Death to the Russian Invaders.’
People should relocate their photographs and videos off of Instagram before it is shut down, according to an email from Russia’s official communications regulator, and instead use Russia’s own ‘competitive internet platforms.’
In the aftermath of Russia’s February 24 invasion, Meta, which also owns Facebook, announced on Friday that the temporary adjustment in its hate speech policy only applied to Ukraine.
It would be unjust to ban Ukrainians from ‘showing their resistance and outrage at the invading military forces,’ according to the firm.
In Russia, authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into Meta, and prosecutors have urged a court to classify the US tech company as a ‘extremist organisation.’
According to Instagram’s CEO, the ban will affect 80 million users. In reaction to what it claims are limits on access to Russian media on the network, Russia has already blocked Facebook in the nation.
The decision to allow calls for violence against Russians is a violation of international law, according to the regulator Roskomnadzor’s letter to Instagram users.
“We need to ensure the psychological health of citizens, especially children and adolescents, to protect them from harassment and insults online,” it said, explaining the decision to close down the platform.
