Russia to block Instagram on Monday due to content 'calling for violence' against soldiers
March 14, 2022, 8:23 am

Russia to block Instagram on Monday due to content 'calling for violence' against soldiers

File photo: Pixabay

The Euronews reported, Russian regulators say that internet users will be blocked from accessing Instagram on Monday because it is being used to "call for violence" against Russian soldiers.

This latest announcement from Moscow seeks to further tighten access to foreign social media platforms, having already limited Twitter and blocked Facebook.

Russia's communications and media regulator Roskomnadzor said it restricted access to the hugely popular image and video sharing platform because it was spreading "calls to commit violent acts against Russian citizens, including military personnel".

Russia has also called on the US to stop the social media giant for what they describe as their "extremist activities" while also calling for a criminal investigation.

In response, Instagram owner Meta said it would let its users in some countries call for violence against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian soldiers.

Downtown Kharkiv before and during the Russian aggression. Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine. Its residential areas have been targeted by Russian shells, rockets, bombs, missiles for days now (File photo: Euromaidan Press via Mariana_Betsa)

Meta said it would temporarily allow some violent posts such as "death to the Russian invaders" in Ukraine that usually break its rules. However, it would not permit calls for violence against Russian civilians.

Meta's Global Affairs President, Nick Clegg, defended what he described as a "temporary decision taken in extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances".

He said in a statement: "I want to be crystal clear: our policies are focused on protecting people's rights to speech as an expression of self-defence in reaction to a military invasion of their country."

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"The fact is, if we applied our standard content policies without any adjustments we would now be removing content from ordinary Ukrainians expressing their resistance and fury at the invading military forces, which would rightly be viewed as unacceptable."

Source: euronews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.