Meta spokesperson in Russia’s wanted list after WhatsApp, Instagram parent listed as ’terrorist’ organisation

Russia has been cracking down on some popular social media platforms. The country has now put Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta Platforms, on a wanted list. The spokesperson of the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has been put on a wanted list for unspecified charges. This move comes after Russia launched an offensive in Ukraine last year and started to crack down on media and social media. Meta was listed as a “terrorist and extremist” organisation in Russia in October of this year. However,  WhatsApp, which is also owned by Meta, is still operating in the country.

Current situation

A Russian outlet Mediazona which is not affiliated with the state, has claimed that Andy Stone, the Meta spokesperson is wanted by the ministry for unspecified terrorism charges. Stone has been working with Meta since March 2014 and is currently serving in the position of Communications Director.  

Facebook and Instagram have been blocked in Russia since the start of the Ukraine offensive. They are only accessible via VPN. Other platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and some Russian independent media critical of the Kremlin are also banned.  

Implications for Meta users in Russia

Since Meta is listed as a “terrorist and extremist” organisation, there could be possible criminal investigations and fines for users in the country. Russia opened a case against Meta in March 2022, accusing the company of promoting “terrorist activity”. This was after Meta altered its hate speech rules for Ukrainian and Polish users. Andy Stone announced Meta’s decision to allow users to post about the “death of Russian invaders.” He stated that these calls would be treated as political speech rather than actual threats.

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