MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) insists court bans Meta’s activities in Russia.
"Meta’s activities are geared against Russia and its armed forces. We insist Meta’s activities be banned immediately," a FSB representative said at a session at Moscow’s Tverskoy district court on Monday.
In case the court satisfies this motion, the activities of Meta Platforms will be banned in Russia immediately, i.e. before its challenge appeal is considered.
Russia’s mass media and telecommunications watchdog supports this demand.
The Russian prosecutor general’s office demands the activities of Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram and Facebook social networks, and WhatsApp messenger, be banned in Russia after the company lifted a ban on posting calls for violence against Russian nationals in several countries.
Following this move, a criminal case was opened and Instagram and Facebook were blocked in Russia. Although it was decided not to block access to WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, Meta Platforms representative told the court that the company has changed its policy and insists on the inadmissibility of Russophobia and calls for violence against Russian citizens.
She noted that users of Meta’s networks are around two million of people across the globe and participation of Russian users in this global community is a major factor of global communication.