Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has finally prompted Western institutions to crack down on Russian-backed state media such as RT, Sputnik and TASS, which have long served as the Kremlin’s propaganda unit.
Why it matters: Russia started the war through disinformation spread by state-run media channels. It still relies on these networks to spread disinformation beyond its borders and sell the war as a success in the internal market.
Driving the news: The European Commission has said it will ban the Kremlin’s “media machine” in the EU. RT, Sputnik and other media “will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. tweets.
- Several companies, including Google, TikTok, Facebook and Microsoft, are already enforcing the ban and restricting access to Russian state media within the EU.
- IN UK media regulator Ofcom said on Monday that it was launching 15 investigations into RT, a state-sponsored Russian television channel.
- A group of leading Ukrainian media groups has written an open letter to global television broadcasters urging them to stop spreading Russian state networks.
What we watch: The crackdown on private companies, including Big Tech platforms, could be even more powerful, given how much Russian state media has relied on social media to spread misinformation.
- of Microsoft The Start platform, which includes MSN.com, will not display state-sponsored RT and Sputnik content and removes RT news apps from its Windows app store.
- Twitter on Monday, said it would start labeling all tweets that contain content from Russian state media websites, and reduce the visibility and amplification of all tweets that contain content from Russian state media.
- on Facebook the parent company, Meta, restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media, at the request of the Ukrainian government. Meta said he was reviewing other government demands to curb Russian state media.
- YouTube “Significantly limits recommendations” for Russian state media channels, a spokesman told Axios.
- Netflix he said he would oppose a Russian law ordering him to add state propaganda channels to his service there.
Yes and: Google, YouTube, Microsoft, Twitter and Facebook have restricted or banned Russian state media organizations from selling ads.
What to watch: US broadcasters are facing pressure to remove Russian state media from their platforms, although to a large extent they have not yet done so.
- Roku removes RT in Europe from the Roku Channel store.
- Dish said in a statement: “Our thoughts are with all the people of Ukraine, and especially with the members of our team in the country. We are closely monitoring the situation.”
- DirecTV, which also maintains the network, did not respond to a request for comment.