Russian MFA spokeswoman claims Meta openly engaged in anti-Russia campaign amid war

Many tech companies have suspended their operations in Russia in the wake of the latter's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Now,  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that Meta and other American digital enterprises are actively engaged in a US propaganda war against Moscow. In a Telegram post, she stated that while Mark Zuckerberg and other key executives at Meta Platforms, Inc. are busy promoting and monetizing their virtual meta-universe, the company has prolonged discriminatory limitations on demands for violence against the Russian military on Facebook and Instagram. 

Zakharova spoke about the fact that Meta has lifted restrictions on posting calls to violence against Russian troops on Facebook and Instagram - both of which are owned by Meta. She also pointed out a statement from the company's leadership that the company will continue to increase its efforts to combat Russian propaganda.

'Meta is openly collaborating with Washington'

She further claimed that it is clear that Meta and other American digital businesses are openly collaborating with Washington in constructing an alternate, fictitious reality. She further chastised the company's policy, claiming that Meta combats facts that don't suit the Western mainstream and also counter opinions that differ from the West. Nick Clegg, the business's vice president who led the British Liberal Party from 2007 to 2015, said the corporation will increase its efforts to counter Russian misinformation. Zakharova added that apparently, "propaganda" refers to facts that they don't like and any viewpoints that differ from the Western consensus.

She further asserted that the independent "fact-checkers" make the decision. Fact-checking Ukrainian organization 'StopFake', which is renowned for its prejudice and ties to right-wing radicals, has been tasked with "checking" into the Russian-language portion of Facebook. She said that on this social network, people can only discuss the provocation in Bucha in terms of a single version of the alternative reality collected by "experts" of StopFake. She further claimed that Meta is clearly participating in Washington's propaganda war against Russia, producing a false reality.

Russia banned Meta, calling it an "extremist"

Earlier last month, Russia banned Meta, terming it an extremist. Ever since President Vladimir Putin launched troops into Ukraine on February 24, Russian officials have accused Meta of fostering "Russophobia." Since early March, the microblogging site Twitter has also been unavailable in Russia.

Image: AP/ Representative