Russian Court Bans Facebook and Instagram for ‘Extremist Activities’

Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on "An Examination of Facebook and Its Impact on the Financial Services and Housing Sectors" in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on Oct. 23, 2019. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

A Russian court on Monday has banned Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for alleged “extremist activities,” rendering its operations inside Russia illegal.

The decision handed down by Moscow’s Tverskoi District Court, however, excludes messaging service WhatsApp, which Meta also owns, according to the Interfax news agency.