Facebook owner defends policy on calls for violence that angered Russia

FILE PHOTO: Meta logo and Russian flag are seen through broken glass in this illustration taken March 1, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

LONDON (Reuters) -Facebook owner Meta Platforms said Friday that a temporary change in its content policy, only for Ukraine, was needed to let users voice opposition to Russia's attack, as Russia opened a criminal case after the company said it would allow posts such as "death to the Russian invaders."

Russian prosecutors asked a court to designate the U.S. tech giant as an "extremist organisation," and the communications regulator said it would restrict access to Meta's Instagram starting March 14. The company said the decision would affect 80 million users in Russia.