In an expected turn of events, Russia has blocked access to Facebook and Twitter in what seems like a retaliation for the measures taken by these platforms to curb dissemination of information by state-owned media, The Guardian reported. The regulator had blocked Facebook partially last week after claiming that the social network had violated the “rights and freedoms of Russian nationals”, the report added. The Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, said there were 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020. The platform restricted access to state-backed news services like Russia Today and the RIA news agency, the British daily explained. "Soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out.” He added that the company will try to restore their services." — Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs, Meta The blocking seems like an attempt by Russia to send a message to the world at large and pressurise social media platforms into toeing its line on the invasion of Ukraine. The war is being fought on multiple fronts and Russia looks keen to control the spread of information to justify its actions against Ukraine which have invited global condemnation. These developments also serve to remind us of the importance of social media platforms in controlling the narratives of conflicts across the world. Russia passes law against purported peddling of…
