Two hours ago, at 5:00 p.m. ET, the Kremlin blocked access to Instagram, cutting off hundreds of Russian “influencers” from their income source, but also preventing citizens from gaining access to information about their government’s invasion of Ukraine, the Washington Post reports.
“The Russian government has decided to block Instagram in Russia, cutting off millions of people from loved ones and friends around the world,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a video response. “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 blockade is also in place to prevent Russians from sharing statements of support for Ukraine and undermining the Kremlin. Sixty million Russians–about 40% of the population–have Instagram accounts.