Campaign to boycott Meta over anti-Russia hate speech
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Following Meta's policy shift and allowing the publication of calls for violence against the Russian military, users on Instagram are calling for boycotting the tech giant.
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Meta allowed publication of calls for violence against the Russian military on its social media platforms.
Some Instagram users started following a hashtag calling for the boycott of parent company Meta after it allowed publication of calls for violence against the Russian military on its social media platforms amid the military operation in Ukraine, Sputnik reported.
Boycott Facebook and Instagram #hatespeech pic.twitter.com/MHpo2uCQc3
— Catherine Agnew (@catiagnew) March 11, 2022
"This is really sick and evil. Zuckerberg thinks it's ok to threaten murder and violence on his platforms. Violence and hate against others should never be allowed! Boycott Facebook and Instagram! Share this post! Say #NOtoMETA," some users posted on Instagram.
Together, we can rise above Meta's tyranny! pic.twitter.com/EFw6vIm6G3
— NoToMeta (@SayNoToMeta) November 26, 2021
Following Meta's move, the Russian authorities blocked Instagram starting Monday.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov considered that Meta had been too absorbed with introducing new rules and carrying out manipulation since the start of Russia's operation in Ukraine, putting its future in Russia in doubt.
On Friday, Meta’s President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg posted a statement claiming that relaxation of hate speech rules only applies to Ukraine and isaimed at protecting the rights to speech of Ukrainians, while no Russophobia or "discrimination, harassment or violence towards Russians" was allowed on the platform.
Responding to reports that the Russian government is considering designating Meta as an extremist organization for its policies in support of speech: pic.twitter.com/Y8sUbZDSML
— Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) March 11, 2022
Meta change of policy "aggressive and criminal"
Russia’s Embassy in the United States responded to Meta’s change of policy, which was namely reflected on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, slamming it as “aggressive and criminal” and “outrageous”, because it allows for the “incitement of hatred and hostility towards Russians."
i will ask you to boycott Facebook and Instagram, as they are stating straight that people should say awful stuff to us. no matter what do you think about the rus-ukr conflict, no one should be hated and nobody should ask you to hate somebody.
— Fuwutsuo | Z | #МнеНеСтыдно 🇷🇺 (@fuwutsuo) March 11, 2022
do research and be a nice person. pic.twitter.com/0LcsPYg0Py
Furthermore, the Embassy said the company’s actions present more evidence “of the information war without rules declared on our country.”
“Media corporations have become soldiers of the propaganda machine of the Western establishment," the Embassy’s statement read.
The Embassy further demanded that the US authorities stop the company’s “extremist activities” and bring them to justice, as the users of the social media platforms did not give the company the right “to determine the criteria of truth and pit nations against each other.”
It is noteworthy that Facebook has been blocked in Russia after several instances of its discrimination against Russian state media, Moscow's media regulator Roskomnadzor had announced.
