Roskomnadzor not considering unblocking Instagram in Russia for now

MOSCOW. July 24 (Interfax) - Russia's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) is not currently considering lifting restrictions on access in Russia to the Instagram service (banned in Russia, owned by Meta Corporation, whose activities have been recognized by the court as extremist and banned), the telecoms watchdog's press service told Interfax on Wednesday.

"Roskomnadzor is not currently considering lifting the blocking of Instagram," the agency said.

On March 21, 2022, Moscow's Tverskoi District Court recognized the U.S.-based Meta Platforms Inc. as an extremist organization and banned its activities in Russia, while the Facebook and Instagram social media belonging to it are banned in Russia. They have been blocked earlier, as Facebook (banned in Russia, owned by Meta, whose activities have been recognized by the court as extremist and banned) was blocked in Russia at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office for censorship of Russian media on March 4, and Instagram was blocked on March 14.