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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
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Moustafa Bayoumi

Facebook’s solidarity with Ukraine is impressive. Now extend it to others

FILE - A demonstrator holds a banner depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin during a pro-Ukraine protest outside the Russian Embassy, after Russian troops have launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Sign in Russian reads
‘Meta may be the biggest social media company to make changes to its operations, though it’s hardly the only one.’ Photograph: Oded Balilty/AP

Last week, we learned that Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – has temporarily changed its rules and will allow certain posts calling for violence to remain on its platforms. Users of Facebook and Instagram who live in countries close to Ukraine will be permitted to post calls for violence against Russian soldiers and even for the deaths of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko – though without specifics of location or method, the company stipulated.

“As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules, like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders’. We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” Meta said in a statement.

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