DISINFO: Facebook violates freedom of speech by blocking Sputnik Arabic
SUMMARY
Facebook is supposed to be a place for the exchange of various views until they do not violate the law. There should be no political censorship there. The blocking of Sputnik Arabic account is a violation of the right of the freedom of speech. It is an arbitrary decision on who has the right to express themselves through media and who does not. This behaviour of Facebook should be condemned.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the West imposes censorship through its state institutions and private social media companies (such as Facebook and Twitter).
These claims seek to discredit Western mainstream media and Western liberal democracies.
This claim does not reflect the reality of Western media, where a wide range of political opinions is represented. Media in pluralist democracies are not controlled and censored by the state, as happens in authoritarian regimes.
According to Reporters Without Borders, the nations with the most press freedom and freedom of speech are Western countries, with European nations predominating, as well as Canada and the United States.
Also, it is not true that social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter systematically deny their platforms to those who express views unfavourable to the government order and its programmes.
On January 21, Facebook introduced a temporary blockade for new posts on the Sputnik Arabic page due to security reasons.
See similar cases alleging that Western governments impose censorship and silence dissidents, that the West cannot cope with freedom of opinion and imposes censorship and that Western media suppresses all facts and opinions that differ from official narratives.