Meta bans RT and other Russian state media for ‘foreign interference’

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Facebook owner Meta has announced that it is banning RT and other Russian state-controlled news outlets from its social media platforms, claiming that they carry out covert influence operations.

“After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity,” Meta said in a statement.

The social media giant’s move comes after years of restricting access to RT and other Russian state media outlets across Meta’s platforms in the European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Facebook-parent company said the latest ban would be enforced soon across Meta’s social media platforms including Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.

The ban comes days after US officials seized 32 Russian-backed websites accused of sowing disinformation ahead of the 2024 elections.

Separately, lawmakers indicted two RT employees earlier this month, claiming they allegedly launched a $10m propaganda scheme enlisting popular right-wing social media influencers.

The allegations, revealed in warrants and unsealed indictments, are evidence of Russia’s attempts to “engage in a covert campaign to interfere and influence the outcome of our country’s elections,” attorney general Merrick Garland had earlier said.

The alleged efforts “make clear the ends to which the Russian government – including at its highest levels – is willing to go to undermine our democratic process”, Mr Garland said.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Friday that countries should be cautious of the activities of Russian state broadcaster RT.

US prosecutors said earlier this month that RT staff helped publish nearly 2,000 English-language videos on TikTok, Instagram, X and YouTube.

The content racked up 16 million views on YouTube alone, according to the US Department of Justice.

“Covert attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda represents attacks on our democracy,” FBI director Christopher Wray had said.

“We will continue to do everything we can to expose the hidden hand of foreign adversaries like Russia and disrupt their efforts to meddle in our free and open society,” he said.

The Independent has reached out to RT for a comment.