Russia to partially restrict Facebook access

Russia will partially restrict access to Facebook starting Friday, according to state-owned media.

RIA Novosti, the state-owned news agency, reported that Russian officials decided to recognize Facebook as “involved in the violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms” and accused the platform of having “censored” the Russian media outlet. 

The report did not detail exactly how the partial restriction of Facebook will be carried out. 

If Facebook does not “eliminate the violations,” Russian officials said access may become “completely” limited, according to the state-news agency report. 

Facebook said the restriction was in response to the social media platform refusing to abide by Russian orders to stop fact checking state-owned media outlets. 

“Yesterday, Russian authorities ordered us to stop the independent fact-checking and labelling of content posted on Facebook by four Russian state-owned media organizations. We refused. As a result, they have announced they will be restricting the use of our services,” Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg said in a statement. 

“Ordinary Russians are using our apps to express themselves and organize for action. We want them to continue to make their voices heard, share what’s happening, and organize through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger,” Clegg added.

According to Meta, the platform provides greater transparency into state-controlled media outlets because they combine the influence of a media organization with the backing of a state. The state-controlled outlets are eligible for fact checking on the platform, as are other outlets. 

The restriction comes as Russia pushes forward with military operations in Ukraine, a move that has been widely condemned by world leaders including President Biden.

In response to the ongoing military conflict, Facebook on Thursday announced it would establish a Special Operations Center to further monitor the situation through experts, including native speakers. 

The platform also launched a new feature in Ukraine that allows users to lock their profiles for an additional layer of security.

— Updated at 4:00 p.m.