Social media services have begun to restrict access to RT and Sputnik news services in the EU.
Finnish services have begun blocking Russian media accounts. Adobe Stock / AOP
Facebook, Youtube and several other social media services have begun to restrict access to RT and Sputnik accounts operated by the Russian government in Europe. Services want to avoid spreading false news and false information on their platforms. He tells about it Cnet.
Director of International Relations at Facebook’s parent company Meta Nick Clegg opened the situation On Twitter:
– We have received requests from several governments and the EU to take further action on the Russian state-controlled media. Due to the exceptional nature of the current situation, we are currently restricting access to RT and Sputnik throughout the EU, Clegg writes.
Clegg did not elaborate on the content of the restriction or the extent to which Meta has received requests from states to restrict the Russian media. RT’s Facebook page has 7.4 million followers and Sputnik’s 1.4 million. RT has 839,000 followers on Instagram and 116,000 on Sputnik.
RT questioned the decision to take action against it. According to the state-run media house, there is no evidence that incorrect information is published on its website. Sputnik, on the other hand, called the decision an information war against the Russian media.
Restrictions on Youtube
Google has also said it has begun restricting RT and Sputnik in its services. Google told Europe With their Twitter accountthat it is starting to hide Youtube channels that are connected to RT as well as Sputnik in Europe.
“Our teams will continue to monitor the situation around the clock to take prompt action as needed,” Google said.
RT’s main Youtube channel has more than 4.6 million subscribers and Sputnik has more than 300,000 subscribers. When RT tries to open its Youtube channel, Youtube announces: “This channel is not available in your country”.
Tiktok, a youth service favored by young people, has also announced that its users will no longer see RT’s and Sputnik’s accounts in the EU. Twitter, on the other hand, has yet to announce that it will hide its accounts.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed on Sunday in his suitethat the EU is developing tools to prevent “toxic and harmful misinformation” published by RT and Sputnik and their subsidiaries.