Russell Brand's Social Media Accounts Suspended by Meta Following Conviction

London. Social media accounts of Russell Brand on various platforms of technology company Meta have been closed. Meta took this step after 51-year-old former entertainer Brand was sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail this week for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was found guilty of sexual offenses against four women between 2004 and 2009. Meta operates popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Brand, currently in jail, is expected to serve at least seven years before being eligible for parole. His social media X account is still active. A post was published on that account on Wednesday evening. 'According to Meta, no person named Russell Brand ever existed,' the post read. The message further stated, 'Thanks to Elon Musk, stay tuned.' The post also included screenshots showing Brand's Instagram account being closed. Under Meta's community standards policy, accounts deemed harmful to the community are banned or removed to maintain a safe environment and empower free expression. This policy also covers accounts of convicted sex offenders. Earlier in 2023, YouTube also took steps for the safety of its users following a media investigation that exposed allegations regarding Brand's behavior. At that time, YouTube blocked income from advertisements on his channels, deeming it a violation of the creator's responsibility policy. Brand, however, has been denying the allegations against him.