Over the years, Meta has taken more cautious measures, such as restricting the ability of these media outlets to advertise and restricting access to their content. But the blanket ban is reportedly a response to what Meta calls foreign interference, Reuters reported.

After careful consideration, we have expanded our existing measures against Russian state media. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related organizations are now banned from our apps worldwide due to their activities related to foreign interference,
– Mentioned in the meta.

This ban will be implemented across all Meta platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, in the coming days. While Russia already blocked Facebook and Instagram in 2022, designating Meta as an “extremist” organization, the latest ban on Russian state media could have ramifications for WhatsApp, a platform widely used in Russia that has not yet been banned by the Russian state.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian Embassy or the White House on Meta’s decision. Moscow has previously criticized the company’s efforts to limit the influence of Russian media and fined Meta for failing to remove content deemed illegal in Russia.

Meta’s decision comes after the US government filed money laundering charges against two RT employees earlier this month for allegedly hiring a US company to produce content aimed at influencing the 2024 elections.

In response, RT mocked the US actions, accusing the US of trying to hinder the broadcaster’s ability to operate as a legitimate journalistic organization. Meta expects Russian state media to try to avoid detection, but the company vowed to remain vigilant against deceptive practices.