Andy Stone, a spokesperson for social media giant Meta Platforms, has been found guilty of “justifying terrorism” by a Russian military court. Despite being a US citizen, Stone was convicted in absentia and sentenced to six years in prison. The court ruled that the sentence would be implemented if Stone ever arrived in Russia or was extradited.
The conviction came as a result of Stone’s comments in March 2022, where he suggested that Facebook users could temporarily break the company’s anti-violence rules to demand actions like “death to the Russian attackers”. Although Meta’s international affairs manager, Nick Clegg, later clarified that this rule only applied to users in Ukraine, the Russian authorities still banned Meta’s Facebook and Instagram applications in the country. In addition to the ban on Meta’s platforms, Russian authorities also prohibited Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, from entering the country.
The case against Stone highlights the controversial role of tech companies in global events and raises important questions about the legal implications of their actions. It also underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability from these companies when it comes to their operations and impact on society.
