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YouTube Annoys Russia Again by Blocking Duma TV

Provoking Roskomnadzor.

 & Nathaniel Mott Contributing Writer

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YouTube has once again raised the ire of the Russian government.

Reuters reports that on April 9 the company blocked access to Duma TV, a channel that broadcasts from the lower house of the Russian parliament, for violating its terms of service.

Roskomnadzor, the Russian government's media watchdog, reportedly said "the American IT company adheres to a pronounced anti-Russian position in the information war unleashed by the West against our country" in response to YouTube's decision to take down the channel.

"If we find that an account violates our Terms of Service," Google told Reuters, "we take appropriate action. Our teams are closely monitoring the situation for any updates and changes."

This isn't the first time Roskomnadzor has complained about a decision YouTube made following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The watchdog demanded in late February that YouTube remove the restrictions it placed on Russian media outlets at the Ukrainian government's request.

YouTube didn't capitulate to the Russian government's demands. Instead, the company announced on March 11 that it would block access to RT, Sputnik, and other Russian state-sponsored media outlets around the world so they couldn't spread disinformation.

About Our Expert

Nathaniel Mott

Nathaniel Mott

Contributing Writer

I've been writing about tech, including everything from privacy and security to consumer electronics and startups, since 2011 for a variety of publications.

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