Will halt Facebook operators if calls for violence allowed against us: Kremlin

The warning comes after Reuters found that reports of Meta allowing users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers on its platforms is true.

New Delhi: Russia on Friday gave a stern warning to Meta Inc and all the associated social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram that the companies operation will be halted In Russia if calls for violence against the country and its troops are allowed on the platform.

The warning comes after Reuters found that reports of company allowing users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers on its platforms is true.

"We don`t want to believe the Reuters report - it is just too difficult to believe," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We hope it is not true because if it is true then it will mean that there will have to be the most decisive measures to end the activities of this company," he added.

Meanwhile, a Meta spokesperson told Reuters that the company had temporarily eased its rules for political speech, allowing posts such as "death to the Russian invaders", although it would not allow calls for violence against Russian civilians.

The temporary change aimed to allow for forms of political expression that would normally violate its rules on violent speech, the company said.

Internal emails seen by Reuters showed it had also temporarily allowed posts that call for death to Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

An influential parliamentarian called on Friday for Meta`s Instagram to be blocked in Russia.

(With inputs from Reuters)