Russia's regulator demands that Alphabet remove all restrictions on Russian-language YouTube channels of media outlets RBC, TV Zvezda, and Sputnik in Ukraine
Alphabet must defend or revise its restrictions on the three named channels while facing a formal demand from Russia's regulator; RBC, TV Zvezda, and Sputnik gain a regulator-backed challenge to YouTube's policy.
Second-order effects
YouTube's approach in Ukraine is pulled against its subsequent move to block RT and Sputnik across Europe, forcing Alphabet to apply different access rules to Russian state-linked media across jurisdictions.
Third-order effects
If governments continue answering platform moderation with access demands or blocking threats, large video platforms will operate increasingly fragmented country-by-country channel policies rather than a single global rule set.
The trend: The Ukraine conflict is accelerating the collision between platform content moderation and national demands for control over state-linked media distribution.
New: YouTube is temporarily demonetizing and significantly limiting recommendations to the Kremlin-backed network RT and other sanctioned Russian channels. RT's main channel has 4.6 million followers and has profited from YouTube video ads for years https://twitter.com/...
3/ In addition to rolling out Locked Profiles in Ukraine, we have also temporarily removed the ability to view and search the “Friends” list for Facebook accounts in Ukraine to help protect people from being targeted. https://about.fb.com/...
But what about domestic state-controlled media in Russia, I hear you ask. Well here's the amount of ads three of the outlets that Meta took action against Thursday have bought. How do you say “zero” in Russian? https://twitter.com/...
Given a choice between bowing to Kremlin censors or departing Big Tech - Apple, Google/YouTube, Meta/Facebook, Twitter - should strongly consider exit strategies. The costs are becoming too great and the HR abuses are too egregious https://www.nytimes.com/...
Google (including YouTube), Facebook and Twitter announce plans to limit the ability of Russian state media to monetize or run ads on their platforms because of Ukraine. YouTube also will be “significantly limiting recommendations to these channels.” https://www.axios.com/...
Didn't think I will be sharing something good that Facebook has done two days in a row. For the context FB restricted access to four Russian media outlets yesterday for misinformation. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Holding the line is forcing tough choices. Russia is trying to bully Google about propagating Kremlin lies in Ukraine. The implicit threat is denied access to the RU market-an outcome that Kremlin baby boomers would probably love. But normal Russians need access to information. h…
Going to be fun to watch all the US politicians, who have been trying to force YouTube and other social media to moderate the way they want, now trying to condemn the Russian govt for doing this. https://twitter.com/...
I think I can manage to both feel uncomfortable about the power the social giants have and also be enthusiastically supportive of YouTube's actions at this moment in time. Let me see. Yes. Yes I can. https://twitter.com/...
This will be a real test for @google and @YouTube. Do they continue to kowtow to Russia to ensure their businsss with them continues or do they take this humanitarian crisis seriously and do the right thing here? Betting on the former, unfortunately. https://twitter.com/...
At least there'll be online poker apps: Husband was playing poker last night, which is always full of Russians, and they were all going ‘Fuck Putin, fuck the war, Putin get cancer’ https://twitter.com/...
“limiting recommendations” to invader's state media? Wrong side of history, @YouTube I know it's the weekend, but #brands need to get the hell off of YouTube. Call whoever needs to be called. https://twitter.com/...