Censorship continues: Russia officially blocks access to Facebook, Twitter ban also seems in the making | War Ukraine and Russia

According to several Russian news agencies, Twitter is also blocked by Roskomnadzor. That writes Reuters. Twitter itself contradicts that the social network has been banned, a journalist from Bloomberg news agency said. Twitter showed last week know that some persons in Russia could not reach the service.

The supervisor The reason is that Facebook restricts access to Russian media. For example, according to Roskomnadzor, Facebook would have discriminated against Russian media 26 times since October 2020. For example, access to state propaganda channel RT and news agency RIA would have been limited.

“We will do everything we can to bring our services back so that they remain available and people can safely and confidently express their views and organize for action,” said Nick Clegg, director of global affairs at Meta, Facebook’s parent company. Instagram and WhatsApp, two apps that are more popular in Russia than Facebook, remain untouched for the time being.

The company restricted access to propaganda channels RT and Sputnik in the European Union. Globally, people are getting fewer posts that Russian state media post on Facebook and Instagram. Internet links to those media can no longer be posted on Facebook.

Western journalists and GlobalCheck, a group that monitors internet connections, had previously determined that the websites of the British broadcaster BBC and the German channel Deutsche Welle are no longer accessible.

At the beginning of this week, two independent television channels were blocked by the Russian authorities. They distinguished themselves from most other Russian media by not following the official Kremlin line in their coverage of Ukraine.

On Friday, the Russian parliament voted tougher sentences, up to 15 years, if “false information” leads to “serious consequences” for the Russian armed forces. That law was signed on Friday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The penalties apply to the general public, not just journalists.

In addition, another amendment passed Friday provides for a fine of converted 4,300 euros and three years in prison for “calling for sanctions on Russia”. In response, a Dutch Russia correspondent left and the British public broadcaster BBC stops gathering news in the country.