After accusing Facebook and other digital companies of ‘censorship’ for limiting its programs, Russia’s communications authority has requested that Google restore access to its state-funded media channels on YouTube in Ukraine.
Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, said on Sunday that it has written a letter to Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent business, and YouTube’s parent company, requesting that all restrictions imposed on state media outlets such as RBC, TV Zvezda, and Sputnik be lifted.
On Saturday, YouTube stopped access to state-run media channels at the request of the Ukrainian government, according to Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who confirmed the move on Twitter early Saturday morning local time.
‘We’ve banned access to RT and a handful of other channels in Ukraine in response to a government request.’ We’ll keep an eye on fresh developments and take appropriate action if necessary,’ On Saturday, a YouTube spokeswoman told Axios.
Because of ‘exceptional conditions in Ukraine,’ YouTube is also ‘pausing a number of channels’ ability to monetise on YouTube, including numerous Russian channels linked with recent sanctions,’ according to the spokeswoman.
YouTube would also’significantly reduce recommendations to these channels,’ according to a spokeswoman.
The action occurred just hours after YouTube, which is owned by Google, announced that Russian state media channels, including RT, would no longer be able to sell ads on the platform or be available in Ukraine.