Meta Bans RT, Russian State Media amid rising accusations of foreign interference

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a global ban on RT (formerly Russia Today) and other Russian state media outlets. This decision follows growing accusations that these media entities are actively involved in foreign interference campaigns.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a global ban on RT (formerly Russia Today) and other Russian State Media outlets. This decision follows growing accusations that these media entities are actively involved in foreign interference campaigns.

“After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets,” a Meta spokesperson confirmed on Monday. “Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity.” The ban will affect not only Facebook and Instagram but also Meta’s other platforms, including WhatsApp and Threads.

The crackdown comes just days after the Biden administration imposed sanctions on RT and other Moscow-controlled media, signaling a coordinated effort to curb Russian influence in the information space. U.S. officials have described RT as playing a direct role in advancing Kremlin-backed intelligence operations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the importance of exposing these activities, stating, “Our most powerful antidote to Russia’s lies is the truth. It’s shining a bright light on what the Kremlin is trying to do under the cover of darkness.”

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has also taken legal action, recently indicting two RT employees for allegedly funding a right-wing media outlet in Tennessee to stoke political divisions in the United States.

RT, which boasted 7.2 million Facebook followers prior to the ban, has not officially responded to Meta’s decision. However, the outlet previously mocked U.S. actions targeting it, stating earlier this month, “We eat DOJ indictments for breakfast. With lots of sour cream, usually.”

Meta’s sweeping ban marks a significant escalation in efforts to combat state-sponsored disinformation, particularly as tensions between Russia and Western nations continue to mount over issues of digital influence and propaganda.