Meta Blocks Russian State Media Following Covert Influence Scheme

With just six weeks remaining until the U.S. presidential election, Meta has broadened its ban on Russian state media accounts. This move follows investigations revealing efforts by Russia-based groups to influence the opinions of U.S. voters.

Investigations Uncover Covert Operations

According to a Reuters report, Meta announced its decision to block RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and other Russian state-run media outlets. These outlets had employed deceptive tactics to carry out covert influence operations online. This development comes shortly after U.S. officials filed money-laundering charges against two RT employees. They were accused of hiring an American company to create online content aimed at influencing the 2024 election.

The Role of Tenet Media

At the centre of this covert scheme was a media company based in Tennessee, known as Tenet Media. This company had been paying prominent right-wing commentators in the U.S. millions to promote politically divisive content. Commentators like Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Dave Rubin were unknowingly involved, producing videos on topics selected by Russian state media to deepen political divisions.

Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections

This is not the first time Meta has come under scrutiny regarding foreign interference. During the 2016 U.S. election, Russian groups utilised Facebook ads and groups to manipulate voter sentiment. Though there is no clear evidence suggesting that these efforts specifically favoured any one candidate, they certainly aimed to shift global perspectives on issues important to Russia, such as the conflict in Ukraine.

One particular example of Russian influence involved RT commissioning Tenet Media to create a video blaming Ukraine and the United States for a mass shooting in Moscow, despite the fact that the Islamic State had claimed responsibility. Such disinformation strategies are designed to obscure Russia’s role in global events, rather than promoting a specific political candidate.

Ongoing Efforts to Counter Russian Influence

Meta has been actively combating Russian influence campaigns for several years. One such initiative, known as "Doppelganger," aims to weaken international support for Ukraine by spoofing legitimate news websites. Meta was the first technology company to publicly report on this operation and has since attributed it to Russian entities sanctioned by both the EU and the U.S.

Meta’s Decision to Expand Bans

Meta’s expanded enforcement against Russian state media represents a significant escalation in its efforts to combat foreign influence on its platforms. This decision is likely to draw criticism from Russian authorities, although Russia had already banned Facebook and Instagram in 2022 after Meta refused to remove misinformation about Ukraine.

Other platforms have also restricted RT in the past, with Twitter banning RT’s advertising in 2017 due to concerns over election interference. Meta, however, has now taken its stance a step further by implementing a full ban on these media outlets.

What Lies Ahead for Meta?

It remains to be seen whether Meta’s restrictions on Russian state media will remain in place beyond the U.S. election. With clear evidence of attempted influence, the platform's decision to act now is likely an attempt to avoid any further complications as voters head to the polls. How Meta enforces these measures after the election will be closely monitored.