Russia threatens YouTube ban after German RT outlet blocked

Moscow (dpa), 29 Sept, 2021  - Moscow threatened on Wednesday to block the YouTube video platform after the internet media firm removed the German-language channels of Russia’s RT state media outlet.

YouTube could be blocked partially or entirely, Russian media regulator Roskomnadsor announced, according to the Interfax news agency.

Roskomnadsor had written to Google, which owns YouTube, demanding that all restrictions be lifted “as soon as possible.” If Google does not react, the US corporation will receive a formal warning, it said.

Roskomnadsor said that Google had breached the “basic principles of the free distribution of information and unhindered access to it,” arguing that this was an “act of censorship of Russian media.”

YouTube removed two German RT channels on Tuesday, arguing that they had been in breach of company policy.
It had previously been brought to RT DE’s attention that the state media outlet had violated YouTube’s coronavirus misinformation policy.