What first started as a trickle — stopping Kremlin-backed media outlets from buying ads on Facebook and YouTube — has turned within days into a flood of restrictions aimed at throttling the Kremlin’s use of the online world for political and military gain.

Pleas from leaders in Ukraine, Europe and elsewhere prompted fierce arguments within the companies about whether it would betray their commitment to free expression if they banned Russian media outlets, according to people who attended internal meetings. As the political and public clamor for action increased, the executives made calls that went further in curbing Moscow’s online influence campaigns than many had initially considered possible.

The implications will be long-lasting. By taking action against the Kremlin, tech companies have adopted policies that could become the de facto norm for future conflicts. These decisions could fundamentally change the companies’ relationships with governments that are being forced, in real time, to acknowledge the power that social media wields in a time of war.