Russians plan melancholy version of Instagram after ban

A web page of the social network 'Grustnogram' is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken March 30, 2022. REUTERS/REUTERS PHOTOGRAPHER/Illustration

(Reuters) - A black and white, melancholy alternative to Instagram that asks users to post sad pictures of themselves may launch in Russia this week, its creators said, to express sadness at the loss of popular services such as the U.S. photo sharing platform.

Russia restricted access to Instagram from March 14 and subsequently found its owner Meta Platforms Inc guilty of "extremist activities", as Moscow battles to control information flows with Big Tech after it sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.