Russia was expected to ban Instagram early Monday. Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, said, “We need to ensure the psychological health of citizens, especially children and adolescents, to protect them from harassment and insults online.”
In a video response, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said, “The Russian government has decided to block Instagram in Russia, cutting off millions of people from loved ones and friends around the world. We know that over 80 percent of people in Russia on Instagram follow an account from outside of Russia. The situation is terrifying, and we are trying to do all we can to keep people safe.”
The Washington Post’s Paul Sonne and Mary Ilyushina wrote, “The ban on Instagram is the latest example of how Russia’s citizens are being isolated from the rest of the world as a result of Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on Feb. 24, his government has also pulled the plug on Russia’s opposition-oriented radio and television networks, part of a broader effort to squelch domestic dissent in response to the war. Thousands of Russians have been arrested for attempting to protest the invasion.”
It’s believed that Russia has somewhere between 60 to 80 million Instagram users.
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Source: With Instagram banned, Russians are further isolated from the world | Poynter