Russia fines Meta, TikTok over LGBT 'propaganda'

A Russian court on Tuesday hit Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta and video platform TikTok with fines for refusing to take down LBGT content.

In separate hearings, a Moscow court ordered Meta to pay four million rubles (about $53,000/50,000 euros) and TikTok 2 million rubles for failing to delete content with LGBT "propaganda", news agency Interfax reported.

Tech companies are frequently slapped with fines by Russia for not deleting content on the request of authorities.


Since the start of Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, Russia has ramped up pressure on social networks, banning Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Attacks on the LGBT community are relatively frequent in Russia, where conservative and religious circles take a dim view of the community.

In 2013, Moscow passed a controversial law against homosexual "propaganda" among minors. It was used to ban pride marches and the display of rainbow flags.

Since 2020, the constitution specifies that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, effectively banning gay marriage.