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Russian court bans Instagram and Facebook for 'extremist activity'
Updated 18:57, 22-Mar-2022
CGTN

Facebook and Instagram were banned in Russia on Monday and Russia's media watchdog demanded that Russian media not display the logos of the two social networks and their parent company, Meta.  

A Moscow court banned Facebook and Instagram in Russia and labeled them as "extremist organizations," Russia Today (RT) reported on Monday.

"The demonstration of the logo of the Meta Platforms Inc. organization and its social networks, Facebook and Instagram, by the Russian media is not allowed," TASS reported on Tuesday, quoting a statement from the watchdog.

Facebook and Instagram will be also excluded from the register of social networks in Russia. Meta will be excluded from the list of foreign entities operating on the Internet, the watchdog said.

The ban came after the platforms' owner, US-tech giant Meta, "allowed online hate speech against the country's nationals," according to RT's report.

Meta said in the court that it was not carrying out extremist activities and stood against Russophobia, Interfax reported.

WhatsApp messenger will remain operational in the country, the RT report said. 

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