Instagram access in Russia was cut from Monday in response
to Meta's decision last week to allow social media users in Ukraine to post
messages such as "Death to the Russian invaders". Facebook was
already banned over what Moscow said were restrictions on access to Russian
media there.
On the eve of the Instagram ban, demand for Virtual Private
Networks (VPNs) that encrypt data and obscure where a user is located spiked
2,088 percent higher than the daily average demand in mid-February, data from
monitoring firm Top10VPN showed.
Russia has been targeted by unprecedented western sanctions
over its actions in Ukraine and is battling to control the flow of information,
stifling foreign social media firms with traffic slowdowns and, in the case of
Facebook and Instagram, outright bans.
Demand for VPNs had already been on the rise in the region
as Russian and Ukrainian websites fell victim to cyber attacks.
Russia banned several VPNs last year, but has failed to
block them entirely, as part of a wider campaign critics say stifles internet
freedom.
Top10VPN's data analysis of more than 6,000 entries to
Russia's central registry of blocked websites found that 203 news sites and 97
foreign exchange and crypto sites are currently blocked in Russia.
State communications regulator Roskomnadzor on Monday said
the number of cyber attacks against the IT systems and infrastructure of the
Russian government had sharply increased since February 24.
It warned perpetrators that cyber attacks may lead to
criminal consequences. © Reuters