Russia Blocks Facebook

Russia has blocked Facebook in retaliation for restrictions placed on its state media.

Last week, Facebook announced it was preventing Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on the platform due to the country's invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Apple has stopped exports to Russia and Microsoft today announced it would stop all new sales in the country.

Today, Russia issued the following (translated) press release banning Facebook.


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On March 4, 2022, a decision was made to block access to the Facebook network (owned by Meta Platforms, Inc.) in the Russian Federation.

Since October 2020, 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media and information resources by Facebook have been recorded. In recent days, the social network has restricted access to accounts: the Zvezda TV channel, the RIA Novosti news agency, Sputnik, Russia Today, the Lenta.ru and Gazeta.ru information resources

The above restrictions are prohibited by Federal Law No. 272-FZ “On measures to influence persons involved in violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation”, adopted, among other things, to prevent violations of the key principles of the free flow of information and unhindered access Russian users to Russian media on foreign Internet platforms.
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Facebook has already responded, saying...


"Soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out. We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services so they remain available to people to safely and securely express themselves and organize for action."
- Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs

If you wish to donate to help Ukrainians, Apple is now facilitating UNICEF donations via iTunes.

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