Telegram’s experience shows competing prints. The application is popular in Russia and Ukraine for sharing pictures, videos and information about the war. But at the same time, it has also become a breeding ground for war-related misinformation, such as unverified footage from battlefields.
On Sunday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov informed his more than 600,000 followers on the platform that he is considering blocking some war-related channels in Ukraine and Russia as they could exacerbate the conflict and fuel ethnic hatred.
Users responded with alarm, saying they trust Telegram for independent information. Less than an hour later, Mr. Durov changed course.
Understand Russia’s Attack on Ukraine
What is the basis of this invasion? Russia sees Ukraine in it natural domainHe was frustrated by Ukraine’s proximity to the West and the possibility of the country joining NATO or the European Union. Although Ukraine is not part of any, it receives financial and military aid from the United States and Europe.
“Many users have asked us not to consider deactivating Telegram channels during the conflict period, as we are the only source of information for them.” He wrote. Telegram did not respond to a request for comment.
Two employees at Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, are not authorized to speak publicly, saying the situation is “chaotic” due to the volume of Russian disinformation on their apps. Two employees said the Russian experts on Meta’s security team, which detected and removed state-sponsored disinformation from Facebook and Instagram, are working around the clock and regularly communicating with Twitter, YouTube and other companies about their findings.
Meta’s security team has long debated whether to restrict Sputnik and Russia Today, two of Russia’s largest state-run media sites, on their platforms or to label their posts in a way that clearly identifies their sources. Russia Today and Sputnik, “Critical elements in Russia’s disinformation and propaganda ecosystem”. a January report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Employees said Meta executives resisted the moves, saying they would anger Russia. But after the war broke out, Nick Clegg, who ran Meta’s global business, announced On Monday, the company announced that it will restrict access to Russia Today and Sputnik across the European Union.