Social media giant Meta has announced the banning of Russian media outlet RT following accusations from the Biden administration that RT is acting as an arm of Moscow’s spy agencies. The decision was made after careful consideration, with Meta expanding its ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets globally due to foreign interference activity. RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and other related entities are now banned from Meta’s apps.
The Biden administration recently imposed sanctions on RT and accused the media outlet of being a fully-fledged member of Russia’s intelligence apparatus, engaging in covert information warfare operations around the world. U.S. officials have alleged that RT participates in propaganda, disinformation, and spread lies to millions, if not billions, of people globally. Some of RT’s operations are said to be hidden, with the outlet being accused of running online platforms in Africa, Germany, and France while concealing its role.
The U.S. is also imposing sanctions on state-funded broadcaster TV-Novosti, Rossiya Segodnya, and its director Dmitry Kiselyov. The move is part of broader efforts to combat Russian interference in elections and political affairs. Meta had previously started limiting Russian state-controlled media two years ago, and the enforcement of the new ban is expected to roll out in the coming days.
Overall, the actions taken by Meta and the U.S. government against Russian media outlets reflect growing concerns about foreign interference, propaganda, and disinformation campaigns conducted by state-controlled entities. Russia has denied allegations of interfering in elections and politics in the U.S. and other countries.
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