Reuters. The Facebook and Instagram accounts of Russian state media networks RT and RIA Novosti were seen to be unavailable on Tuesday (September 17) after Meta, the operator of the social media platforms, said it was banning Russian state media networks from its platforms, claiming the outlets had used deceptive tactics to carry out covert influence operations online.
In a news bulletin, RT newsreader Eunan O'Neill said the broadcaster "and Russia as a whole denies the accusations that have been coming en masse against this channel and others in the past number of days". The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The White House declined to comment.
The Kremlin on Tuesday (September 17) said Facebook owner Meta META.O was discrediting itself by banning some Russian state media networks from its platforms and that Meta's move complicated prospects for Moscow normalising relations with the company.
The ban marks a sharp escalation in actions by the world's biggest social media company against Russian state media, after it spent years taking more limited steps such as blocking the outlets from running ads and reducing the reach of their posts.
Meta's move came after the United States filed money-laundering charges earlier this month against two RT employees for what officials said was a scheme to hire an American company to produce online content to influence the 2024 election.
