January 1, Russia Blocks Access to Facebook

Russia has blocked access to Facebook, the country’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor said.

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, had previously restricted access to Russian state media accounts, which the Kremlin claims was a violation of “fundamental human rights and freedoms, as well as the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens.”

Meta restricted access to Russian state media on its platforms across the EU earlier this week after the European Commission said it will ban “the Kremlin’s media machine.”

The company also started demoting content linking to Russian state media outlets on Facebook and Instagram globally.

Roskomnadzor said Facebook restricted the Zvezda TV channel, the RIA Novosti news agency, Sputnik, Russia Today, the Lenta.ru and Gazeta.ru information resources.

Russia says its laws prohibit efforts to prevent users access to Russian media on foreign Internet platforms.

The move is a part of a larger effort by Russia to silence dissent amid protests against the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Axios reports.

On Friday, Russian lawmakers approved legislation that threatens to imprison individuals for up to 15 years if they publish what Moscow deems to be “fake” information about the invasion.

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Russia blocks access to Facebook