Remember a while ago when social media companies banned sitting U.S. President Donald Trump because they were afraid he was going to somehow engender some sort of hostile takeover of the U.S. government via Twitter or something?
Well apparently, at least in the case of Russia, that policy doesn't extend to actual hostile takeovers of governments:
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are quiet about whether the Kremlin and high-ranking Russian officials who are using the platform to give updates about Russia's advance on Ukraine and spread Russian propaganda will continue to have unfettered access to their accounts...
Russia's verified Twitter account for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has nearly 380,000 followers and regularly posts Kremlin talking points laden with Putin fanfare. On Thursday, the account posted over 20 tweets defending Russia's invasion of Ukraine, claiming in one that, "The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for 8 years now, have been facing genocide perpetrated by the Kiev regime."
Hmmm, Russian propaganda, diplomatic lies, deadly warmongering to bolster the ego of Kremlin strongman? What is social media's response to that?
Russia is also using social media to obliquely threaten further acts of war:
Other posts on the account threaten "tough response measures" to the EU's "continuing unfriendly steps against Russia" and scolds the U.S for creating a "veritable ‘empire of lies.'" Thursday evening, it tweeted out a phone conversation between Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, where he "expressed understanding with respect to Russia's security concerns caused by the destabilising actions of the US and NATO."
Okay I think it's starting to make sense. So if a group of your half-bright, aimless, low-information supporters do this for a couple of hours:
...then you'll definitely get banned from social media because something something democracy something.
But if your country wages actual war against another country simply because your thug president is feeling nationalistic and greedy that day...
...then you're fine.
It's good to know the rules of the road!
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P.S. Now check out our latest viral video: "These 13 Ukrainian soldiers went out like men" 👇
