Tue Sep 17 06:18:37 UTC 2024: ## Meta Bans Russian State Media for Covert Influence Operations

**San Francisco, CA -** Facebook parent company Meta has banned Russian state media outlets, including RT, from its platforms globally, citing foreign interference activity. This decision follows an unsealed indictment accusing RT of funneling $10 million through shell entities to fund covert influence campaigns on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.

According to US prosecutors, RT has been actively engaged in shaping public opinion in Western audiences through covert projects, including the funding of an online content creation company in Tennessee. This company has posted nearly 2,000 videos on YouTube, amassing over 16 million views, without disclosing its ties to RT.

Prosecutors allege that RT has deliberately concealed its funding and used its platform to spread propaganda and sow domestic divisions in countries opposed to its policies. The company’s activities have intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the Russian government expanding RT’s capabilities to include cyber operations and connections to Russian intelligence services.

Meta has been increasingly vigilant in combating covert influence operations, particularly those originating from Russia. The company has labeled Russia as the biggest source of these activities since 2017. This ban on RT is the latest in a series of actions taken by Meta to counter Russian interference and protect its platform from malicious actors.

The US State Department is working to inform governments globally about Russia’s use of RT for covert activities and is encouraging them to limit Russia’s interference in foreign elections and weapon procurement for the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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