Elain Brown Tech 03.22.2022 00:Mar AM EDT

Meta Is Now Banned in Russia but WhatsApp Remains — Will Facebook and Instagram Return?

Meta is officially banned in Russia along with social media platforms under its ownership, Facebook and Instagram. However, WhatsApp will not be affected and will remain as the operational Meta messaging service in the country.

Meta Is Now Banned in Russia

The Moscow Tverskoy Court has ruled the banning of Meta due to participating in extremist activity. However, the court prosecutors ruled that WhatsApp will not be included in the ban and can remain.

Meta's Instagram was the first social media platform from the company to be banned in Russia. Following just a month after that, Russia is now restricting access to Facebook because of tolerating and urging violent acts against Russia's military troops and President Vladimir Putin.

As reported by The Verge, the Tverskoy District Court in Moscow issued a press statement saying it had upheld a lawsuit filed by state prosecutors seeking to prohibit Meta from conducting business on Russian territory

The Moscow's Tverskoy District Court stated, "The decision does not apply to the activities of Meta's messenger WhatsApp, due to its lack of functionality for the public dissemination of information."

Victoria Shakina, Meta's lawyer and representative in Moscow's Tverskoy District Court defended Meta and clarified that the company does not promote extremist activities.

Shakina also stated that the company does not also favor Russophobia. Russophobia is an anti-Russian sentiment, opposing anything Russian, from their way of life, military, governance, and everything Russian.

Meta did not respond to requests for comment and more information about the ruling laid by the Russian government to the company.

It is not yet clear how WhatsApp can continue to operate in the country knowing that the Russian government banned most of Meta's social media platforms.

Meta Might Return

Meta's Facebook and Instagram were banned earlier this year due to the content discrimination they have from Russian state media. This was triggered by both social media platforms blocking Russian-owned news agencies RT and Sputnik in the EU.

Russian State Duma member Anton Gorelkin, who has criticized foreign companies while championing domestic alternatives, stated that Russia could be open to welcoming back Meta again. However, it will be heavily under the conditions and terms of the Russian government.

Gorelkin said, "These are an immediate end to blocking Russian media, a return to the policy of neutrality, and strict moderation of fakes and anti-Russian comments."

Sarkis Darbinyan, the head of the legal department at the digital rights organization Roskomsvoboda, stated that Russia might be planning to isolate Russia from Meta's products.

After the suspension of Instagram in the country, Darbinyan told Reuters, "The government is attempting to close everything gradually so that people gradually become accustomed to it."

In addition, Darbinyan stated that it is also anticipated that services such as WhatsApp could be blocked at any time.

Meta's Image is Prohibited

Meta will now be excluded from the list of foreign tech companies operating on the internet in Russia. This order would remove Instagram and Facebook from the social media register of the country, as stated by the communications regulator Roskomnadzor.

In addition, Roskomnadzor stated that Russian media outlets must identify Meta and its social networks as "prohibited" when disseminating information and are not permitted to display their logos on their websites.