Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, through an internal memo says users cannot make posts or speeches calling for the death of Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, or any head of state.
According to the company, reports of it relaxing its hate speech policy only apply to posts made by Ukrainians who threaten to attack Russian forces and when it concerns speech relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This clarification became necessary after Reuters first reported that Meta changed its hate speech policy in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland in order to allow such threats against the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko because of the invasion which enters its third week.
As reported by Reuters on Thursday, March 17, 2022, Facebook allowed calls for violence against Russian soldiers in those three countries and several other Eastern European countries and Western Asia.
Following an internal post on Sunday, March 20, 2022, President of Global Affairs at Meta, Nick Clegg is now focusing on making it very clear in its guidance that its action should not be interpreted to mean that it condones violence against Russian citizens in general.
