Facebook, Instagram to restrict access to Russia’s RT and Sputnik

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram says it is restricting access to Russia’s RT and Sputnik in Europe over concerns the two state-controlled media outlets are being used to spread disinformation and propaganda.

The action by Menlo Park, CA-based Meta comes after its announcement over the weekend that it was banning ads from Russian state media and had removed a network of 40 fake accounts, pages, and groups that published pro-Russian talking points. The network used fictitious persons posing as journalists and experts, but had yet to create much of an audience. Facebook began labeling Russian state-run media in 2020.

RT and Sputnik are part of Russia’s sprawling propaganda machine, spreading information that supports Russia’s invasion while seeking to undermine and criticize the response by other nations.