The New York Times reported that Meta has disabled the Facebook and Instagram accounts of the entertainer Russell Brand. According to the newspaper, Meta said it took the action because of his rape conviction.
The New York Times also reported that Brand's team announced a ban on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk. The newspaper said Musk continues to express support for Brand.
BBC News reported that Meta disabled Brand's social media accounts, a move that came after the 51-year-old entertainer was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison. The BBC summary does not state a reason for the action and instead links it in time to the sentence.
The two reports differ in emphasis. According to The New York Times summary, the newspaper focused on Meta's stated reason and on the announcement on X. According to the BBC News summary, the outlet focused on the sentencing. Both reports were published on November 12, 2026, according to their timestamps.
Neither summary says when the accounts were disabled. The New York Times identified Facebook and Instagram as the platforms affected, and BBC News identified Meta as the company that acted.
According to both summaries, Brand himself has not been reported to have commented on the actions. Neither summary reports any further statement from Meta beyond the reason cited by The New York Times.
Sources: The New York Times: Russell Brands Accounts Removed From Facebook and Instagram; BBC News: Russell Brand's social media accounts disabled by Meta.