Russia’s Gambit: Places Meta spokesperson on wanted list amid social media crackdown

Russia has added Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook), to its wanted list on unspecified charges, as the social media giant is classified as “extremist” by Moscow. Russian authorities have also started criminal investigations into Stone, reports have revealed

This move is part of Russia’s broader crackdown on media and social media freedom since the launch of its Ukraine offensive and the subsequent ban on criticism of it.

Stone is now listed on Russia’s interior ministry’s wanted list without providing specific details about the charges against him.

In October 2022, Russia categorized Meta as a “terrorist and extremist” organization, paving the way for potential criminal investigations and fines for users within the country. Facebook and Instagram have been blocked in Russia since the onset of the Ukraine offensive, with access limited to virtual private networks (VPNs).

In addition to Meta being labelled as “extremist,” Russia’s financial watchdog in April 2022 had added Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to the blacklist, prohibiting him from entering Russia.

Russia’s clampdown on media and social media freedom has extended to other platforms, with X (formerly Twitter) also banned, along with other Russian independent media critical of the Kremlin. Before the bans, millions of Russians used Meta’s applications, particularly Instagram, which remained highly popular among the country’s youth.

The tensions between Russia and Meta escalated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with users expressing unfiltered emotions on the platforms from both sides of the conflict.

In response, Stone announced temporary changes to Meta’s hate speech policy, allowing for certain forms of political expression that would typically violate the rules. However, Stone clarified that credible calls for violence against Russian civilians would continue to be prohibited.

(With input from agencies)