Facebook owner Meta says it is banning several Russian state media networks, alleging they use deceptive tactics to carry out influence operations and evade detection on its platforms.
“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.
The bans are expected to come into effect in the next few days.
The Russian embassy in Washington, broadcaster RT, formerly Russia Today, and the owner of the Sputnik news agency, Rossiya Segodnya, did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.
Russian state media outlets have come under increased scrutiny over claims they have tried to influence politics in Western countries.
As well as Facebook, social media giant Meta owns Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.
The move marks an escalation in world’s biggest social media firm’s stance towards Russian state media companies.
Two years ago, Meta took more limited measures to limit the spread of Russian state-controlled media, including stopping the outlets from running adverts on its platforms and limiting the reach of their content.
After the start of the war in Ukraine, Meta – like other social media platforms – complied with requests from the EU, UK, and Ukraine to block some Russian state media in those regions.
Earlier this month, the US accused state broadcaster RT of paying a Tennessee firm $10m (£7.6m) to “create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian government messaging”.
