After Facebook, the short message service Twitter is now also blocked in Russia. The Interfax agency reported on Friday that the information provided by the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor indicates that Twitter can no longer be accessed in the territory of the giant empire.
Twitter users in Moscow confirmed that the network stopped working on mobile phones. Roskomnadzor had slowed down Twitter significantly before, making it difficult to watch videos there. Facebook had previously been blocked on Friday.
[Alle aktuellen Nachrichten zum russischen Angriff auf die Ukraine bekommen Sie mit der Tagesspiegel-App live auf ihr Handy. Hier für Apple- und Android-Geräte herunterladen]
The US corporations had previously been fined several times for not deleting information critical of the Kremlin at the request of the authorities in Moscow. Facebook criticized the shutdown in Russia. Millions of people would be cut off from reliable information, said Facebook manager Nick Clegg on Twitter. They are also deprived of the opportunity to connect with their families and friends via the social network.
Several independent media outlets had previously been shut down in Russia, including the radio station Echo Moskvy, which is critical of the Kremlin, and the Internet television station Dozhd. Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed several laws further restricting freedom of expression.
Many Russians use social networks to find out about Russia’s war against Ukraine. Protected network connections (VPN) are widespread in Russia, via which access to Facebook and Twitter is still guaranteed. In many cases, this is not legal. The Telegram news channel, which the Russian authorities have not been able to technically restrict, is used particularly intensively.
More about the war in Ukraine at Tagesspiegel Plus:
Earlier on Friday, Russia’s parliament voted to amend the law that would impose harsh penalties on the media for spreading alleged misinformation about the Russian armed forces. There is a risk of heavy fines and up to 15 years in prison. President Vladimir Putin signed the law.
Media in Russia have been banned since last week from using terms such as “attack”, “invasion” and “declaration of war” in reporting on the war against Ukraine. Moscow describes the war as a military “special operation”.
[Alle aktuellen Entwicklungen im Ukraine-Krieg können Sie hier in unserem Newsblog verfolgen.]
According to the wording of the law, it is punishable by law to spread alleged false information about Russian soldiers, to discredit the armed forces and to call for sanctions against Russia.
It is feared that this will severely restrict the reporting of the remaining independent media in Russia. The Russian authorities had already blocked several critical broadcasters in the past few days. The well-known radio station Echo Moskvy announced its closure. The British broadcaster BBC also no longer reports from Russia. (dpa)
–
