This is an alarming new censorship effort by Russia, which claims to have blocked Facebook

This is an alarming new censorship effort by Russia, which claims to have blocked Facebook

According to Russian authorities, Facebook will be completely banned from operating within their borders after a week of implementing partial restrictions.

"26 incidents of discrimination against Russian media and information resources" were listed by Russia's internet regulatory agency Roskomnadzor as a reason for cutting off access to the world's largest social platform.

It has been reported that Facebook has banned access to several news organizations' accounts recently, including those of Zvezda TV and RIA Novosti as well as Sputnik and Russia Today, according to the Russian news agency.

Federal Law No. 272-FZ 'On measures to influence persons involved in violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens,' 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,' prohibits the above restrictions.

Meta The head of the global affairs department Tweeted by former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, the Russian revelation was a topic of conversation on Friday.

According to Meta, Russian state-linked media on Facebook and Instagram will no longer be able to distribute statements influenced by the Russian government, as the company said earlier this week.

Rumored internal unrest over the violent invasion of neighboring Ukraine coincides with the government's crackdown on Facebook. Russia's parliament on Friday enacted new legislation that imposes severe penalties for anyone found to have willfully distributed "false" information about the country's activities in Ukraine, including heavy prison sentences of up to 15 years, in response to the growing dissent.

The impact of Russia's recent moves against Facebook on other Meta-owned apps like WhatsApp and Instagram isn't yet evident, but given that those services may be used to coordinate protests and distribute information from non-Russian news sources, this consequence appears probable.