Facebook blocked in Russia, it's taking steps to help users in Ukraine

Meta aka Facebook has announced a number of measures aimed at helping users in Ukraine, the company says. This comes even as Facebook finds itself officially blocked in Russia. 

As the world watches in horror, Ukraine's cities are falling one after another and now Meta has come out in full support. The move comes even as Facebook has been officially banned in Russia.

In a statement, the company said - Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the war in Ukraine. We are taking extensive steps across our apps to help ensure the safety of our community and support the people who use our services — both in Ukraine and around the world.

Here are a few of the immediate actions Meta has taken to help with citizens of Ukraine.

Helping to Keep People Safe Meta has added several safety features in Ukraine and Russia in response to the situation on the ground.

Lock Your Profile: This tool allows people to lock their Facebook profile in one step. When someone’s profile is locked, people who aren’t their friends can’t download, enlarge or share their profile photo, nor can they see posts or other photos on someone’s profile, regardless of when they may have posted it. Meta's teams are working with non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to help ensure people know these tools are available.

Friends Lists: Meta has temporarily removed the ability to view and search the friends lists of Facebook accounts in Ukraine and Russia to help protect people from being targeted.

Instagram Privacy and Security: Meta is sending everyone on Instagram in Ukraine and Russia a top-of-feed notification about privacy and account security. For public accounts, Meta is reminding them to check their settings in case they want to make their accounts private. When someone makes their account private, any new followers will need to be approved, and only their followers will be able to see their posts and stories. For people who already have private accounts, Meta is sharing tips on how to keep their account secure through strong passwords and two-factor authentication. We’ve also made encrypted one-to-one chats available on Instagram for all adults in Ukraine and Russia.