Russian regulators threaten YouTube with fines for ‘information war’
YouTube is hugely popular in Russia and has been a key way for millions of Russians to consume news and entertainment videos for years. It has more users in the country than any other social network, including Russia’s homegrown Facebook competitor, VK. Since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion, the country has blocked other U.S.-owned social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, leaving YouTube as one of the few ways for Russians to see content from outside the country without having to download special software to trick their Internet providers into believing they are not inside Russia.
Roskomnadzor has sent a steady stream of warnings to YouTube over the past two weeks, mostly complaining about how the company had blocked Russian state media channels around the world. Tuesday’s message, which was posted on the regulator’s Telegram channel, is a more concrete action, threatening a financial penalty.
