Because of the Ukraine conflict, Instagram is banned in Russia. Some are shocked and share their emotions online. But not everyone understands.
Moscow – After Facebook and Twitter are banned in Russia, the social media platform Instagram is now following suit. Since Monday morning (03/14/2022) the popular online platform is no longer available as a result of the Ukraine conflict*. This causes high emotions, especially for some influencers from Russia.
The authorities had already announced on Friday (March 11, 2022) that they would restrict access to the app, as reported by the AFP news agency. They accuse the US operator Meta of tolerating calls for violence against Russians. Because of the Ukraine war, the group, which also owns Facebook and Whatsapp*, no longer automatically deletes such entries when it comes to the Russian military or Russian politicians. According to Meta, however, calls for violence against Russian civilians are still not tolerated.
Instagram is banned in Russia: influencers burst into tears
To say goodbye to their fans, some influencers share video messages on Instagram. A video of an influencer went viral in which she bursts into tears and laments the end of Instagram in her country. “It feels like a big part of my heart, my life is being taken away from me,” reality TV star Olga Buzova, who has 23.3 million Instagram followers, said in her video. In view of the suffering of the Ukrainians, some users reacted with outrage. “You just have to move to Kharkiv, Instagram still works there,” read a bitter comment on the video, which referred to the Ukrainian capital surrounded by Russian troops.
Fashion blogger Karina Nigai, who is followed by nearly three million people on Instagram, compared the platform’s suspension to a bereavement: “I’m still in the anger stage and the acceptance stage is a long way off,” she writes.
The platform is also very popular in Russia, especially among young people, for sharing photos and videos. According to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri, 80 million people in Russia use the app.
Russian influencers are sad because of the Instagram ban: “My life is being taken away from me”
Alexandra Mitroshina, an influencer with over 2.4 million followers on Instagram, is “concerned about small and medium-sized businesses whose businesses are connected to Instagram.” She herself can live well without Instagram, says 29-year-old teacher Victoria Lilowa. “But I feel sorry for the charities because they make a lot of money from Instagram.”
The Russian government is currently trying to strictly control all information about the military operation in Ukraine. Facebook and Twitter can hardly be used in Russia anymore. Like Instagram, both apps can only be accessed via so-called virtual private networks (VPN) for encrypted communication.
In addition to social media, several independent media outlets in Russia have already been shut down. Some people use the ratings on Google Maps to avoid Russian censorship and inform local people about the Ukraine war. (Samira Müller with AFP) *hna.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
