Fri 18 March 2022:
Russian officials accused Google and its video subsidiary YouTube of “terrorist” activities on Friday, marking the first step toward a future access ban.
Other global tech companies, including as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as some independent media outlets, have already been blocked by Russia.
According to Roskomnadzor, Russian media regulator, “are sharing adverts with calls to shut down railway communications between Russia and Belarus”.
Last month, Russia launched a military campaign against Ukraine from the north, passing into Belarusian territory.
“The YouTube administration’s activities are terrorist in nature and threaten the life and health of Russian citizens,” Roskomnadzor said, quoted by Interfax news agency.
The watchdog slammed Google’s “clearly anti-Russian position” and demanded that it “stops broadcasting anti-Russian videos as soon as possible”.
Russia filed a criminal complaint against Meta, the corporation that owns Facebook and Instagram, earlier this month, accusing it of allowing messages “calling for the murder” of Russians.
Russia is one of the most repressive regimes in the world when it comes to press freedom and freedom of expression, but since the operation in Ukraine began on February 24, the situation has gotten worse.
Earlier on UK’s media regulator revoked the broadcasting license of Russian state-funded television channel RT saying, “We also note new laws in Russia which effectively criminalise any independent journalism that departs from the Russian state’s own news narrative, in particular in relation to the invasion of Ukraine. We consider that given these constraints it appears impossible for RT to comply with the due impartiality rules of our Broadcasting Code in the circumstances.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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