In Russia, Facebook is removing adverts. It’s halting advertisements that target Russians, and it’s no longer allowing Russian advertisers to “produce or run ads anywhere in the globe, including within Russia,” according to a statement released on Friday. The changes are a significant step forward in Russia’s operations against the country, and they may help to prevent Russian propaganda about its invasion of Ukraine from showing up in Facebook advertisements.
Russia began censoring Meta-owned Facebook in the nation on Friday, stopping many Russians from posting on social media in the midst of the crisis. “Millions of ordinary Russians will soon be cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends, and silenced from speaking out as a result of the Russian government’s decision to block access to Facebook in the Russian Federation,” Facebook said on its page cataloging its response to the invasion. The shutdown could also prevent Russians from using social media platforms to express their opposition to the conflict.
Facebook’s decision came late Friday, following similar actions by Google, Twitter, and Snapchat, all of which have halted ad placement in Russia.
