Facebook Owner Meta's Spokesperson Added to Russia's Wanted List

Russia has added Andy Stone, the communications director of Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), to a wanted list, following the country's classification of Meta as a "terrorist and extremist" organization. Stone's inclusion on the list, which was reported by Russian state agency Tass and independent news outlet Mediazona, comes without specific details of the charges against him. In March 2022, Russia's federal Investigative Committee launched a criminal investigation into Meta, alleging that the company's actions after the invasion of Ukraine incited violence against Russians. Stone had announced temporary changes to Meta's hate speech policy to allow for certain forms of political expression. Western social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have been blocked in Russia since the invasion and are only accessible via VPN.