Social media platform Reddit blocks all links coming from Russian domain names, including state-sponsored news sites RT and Sputnik.
Some Reddit communities have already blocked links from Russian state media and their foreign language affiliates, but the new policy applies to the entire site.
“We have made such restrictions universal on the site in all geographies,” Reddit said blog post. “In addition, we will continue to exclude ads that are targeted to Russia or originate from a Russian-based legal entity, government or private.”
A Reddit administrator has confirmed that all .ru domain names have also been blocked and will be removed by Reddit automatically if added.
Followed by steps from Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms to block Russia Today, Sputnik and other official Russian news sources.
Social media platform Reddit blocks all links coming from Russian domain names, including state-sponsored news sites RT and Sputnik
According to experts, blocking by Reddit is one of the most influential forms of “deplatforming” for official news sources.
Other platforms, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Meta, have paused ads, removed content and restricted the ability to find content from Russian-based services, or even blocked content in certain regions. No one is blocked worldwide.
Reddit also rejects ads that target Russia or come from a Russian-based business, government, or individual.
Moderators of some subreddits, as communities are known, have already blocked links manually, but now links are blocked automatically.
This goes beyond that, as moderators will not even be able to manually approve a link from a Russian source.
Reddit also said it spends time helping staff in Ukraine.
“The conflict in Ukraine was shocking and embarrassing. Recognizing that this is primarily a human tragedy, we are working to ensure that those in our community and colleagues who are affected by these events have the support they need at this difficult time, “Reddit wrote in a statement. blog.
The platform says it is also introducing processes to deal with ongoing problems with Russia’s moderate invasion of Ukraine.
Some Reddit communities have already blocked links from Russian state media and their foreign language affiliates, but the new policy applies to the entire site.
Microsoft is suspending sales in Russia, and Airbnb is suspending all bookings there and in Belarus
Airbnb and Microsoft became the last major global companies to suspend operations in Russia as the influx of Western companies added their own penalties to official sanctions against Moscow for invading Ukraine.
Airbnb CEO Brian Cesky announced the suspension Thursday, which includes Russia’s ally Belarus. This brings his company in line with other big Western names who are severing ties with Russia, including General Motors, Boeing and Google.
The eviction of Western companies is increasing the pressure Vladimir Putinand ordinary Russians can no longer buy Apple iPhoneNike sneakers or IKEA furniture after these companies stopped all exports to the country.
Microsoft also said on Friday it was suspending new sales of its products and services in Russia, another step after removing RT’s mobile apps from the Windows App Store and banning ads in Russian-sponsored media.
And the New York Stock Exchange has halted trading on a number of ETFs on display in Russia, closing one of the only remaining pathways for the average American to invest in Russian assets.
Earlier, Airbnb said its non-profit unit would offer free, temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Cesky also said that some people use Airbnb to book accommodation in Ukraine, although they do not plan to stay there as a way to send financial support to Ukrainians.
“We are in active contact with our moderators and communities – especially those most affected by the conflict – to provide support, resources and specialized tools so that they can continue to function without intervention,” a spokesman said.
This is to reduce the risk of misinformation on the website, including content that does not come directly from a Russian source.
Reddit has also escalated the moderators’ requests for an invasion so they can be reviewed and act quickly, as well as daily guidelines for the community and security team to ensure they don’t remove news-worthy content.
“This is a living situation and our response is evolving every day as we receive new information,” a spokesman said.
Reddit is fundamentally community-based and we will continue to do our utmost to ensure that our platform remains accessible to people to connect, support each other, access reliable information and express authentic your opinions and feelings during this difficult time.
Russia has begun retaliating against broadcasters, websites and social media platforms that block content from RT and Sputnik.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has blocked Facebook for “discrimination against Russian media”, its media regulator Roskomnadzor said, citing “26 cases of discrimination against Russian media”.
Earlier on Friday, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, announced that RT and Sputnik would be banned by Facebook and Instagram in the UK, three days after the sites were banned across Europe.
The latest strong technological crackdown on Moscow’s propaganda machine came at the request of British Culture Minister Nadine Doris, who wrote to Meta, Twitter and TikTok on Thursday to demand the ban.
Ms Doris said in a letter that Russian President Putin should not be allowed to “exploit our open and free media to spread damaging propaganda in Britain” and described his invasion of Ukraine as “intolerable”.
“I urge you to do your utmost to implement the EU-wide approach to blocking access to both RT and Sputnik’s online production for your services in the UK,” she said in a letter from Sky News.
The change means that RT and Sputnik’s pages are not visible on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube in the EU or the UK, or on Reddit around the world.
Russia’s lower house has also backed legislation that will impose harsh sentences and fines on newspapers and journalists who publish “fake news”, with serious consequences. Sentences of up to 15 years in prison have been proposed.
In the United States, at least 10 states have banned the sale of Russian vodka, and others have moved to deprive state pension funds of all Russian assets or to ban government contracts with Russian companies.
The eviction of Western companies is stepping up pressure on Vladimir Putin, and ordinary Russians can no longer buy Apple iPhones, Nike sneakers or IKEA furniture after those companies stopped all exports to the country.
Amendments were also passed to fine or imprison people calling for sanctions against Russia.
The BBC, which has a large office in Moscow and runs a Russian-language news website, has responded by announcing a halt to operations in Russia.
“This legislation seems to criminalize the process of independent journalism,” BBC Director-General Tim Davy said in a statement.
He warned that journalists could face “the risk of prosecution just for doing their job”.
Two Russian publications, Nobel laureate Novaya Gazeta and business news website The Bell, said on Friday they would stop reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to protect their journalists.
Putin blocks Facebook for “discrimination against Russian media” – after the social media giant banned RT and Sputnik channels in Britain at the request of the British government
Russian President Vladimir Putin has blocked Facebook for “discrimination against Russian media” – after the social media giant banned Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik in the United Kingdom at the request of the British government.
Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor announced on Friday, just a week after Moscow invaded Ukraine, that Facebook would be banned, citing “26 cases of discrimination against Russian media.”
Earlier on Friday, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, announced that RT and Sputnik would be banned by Facebook and Instagram in the UK, three days after the sites were banned across Europe.
The latest strong technological crackdown on Moscow’s propaganda machine came at the request of British Culture Minister Nadine Doris, who wrote to Meta, Twitter and TikTok on Thursday to demand the ban.
Ms Doris said in a letter that Russian President Putin should not be allowed to “exploit our open and free media to spread damaging propaganda in Britain” and described his invasion of Ukraine as “intolerable”.
“I urge you to do your utmost to implement the EU-wide approach to blocking access to both RT and Sputnik’s online production for your services in the UK,” she said in a letter from Sky News.
The change means that RT and Sputnik’s pages are not visible on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube in the EU or the UK.