A Meta spokesperson has been identified as a wanted individual the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs database since February, according to Russian media reports on Sunday. Andy Stone, who serves as the communications director for Meta, has been on this wanted list for terrorism charges as reported Mediazona, an independent Russian outlet, and the Russian state news agency TASS.
The charges against Stone are part of Russia’s ongoing crackdown on Meta, with both Facebook and Instagram being banned in Russia since the start of the Ukraine war. Moreover, Meta has been classified as a “terrorist” and “extremist” organization in Russia, leading to further tensions with the social media giant.
In addition to the ban on Facebook and Instagram, Russia also opened a case against Meta in March 2022, accusing the company of promoting “terrorist activity” after changing its hate speech rules to allow calls for violence against invading Russians Ukrainian and Polish users.
Andy Stone was mentioned in this case, as he announced Meta’s decision to allow posts about the “death of Russian invaders.” Despite the controversy, Stone defended the decision, stating that it would be treated as political speech rather than actual threats.
While these developments remain contentious, Meta has yet to respond to requests for comment on the situation involving Andy Stone. Amidst the escalating tensions, it is clear that Meta and its representatives are at the center of a complex and high-profile dispute with the Russian government.