Facebook Tops Russian List Of Platforms Spreading Hazardous Content - NGO

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th August, 2021) � Facebook is first on the Russian list of social media platforms violating legislation on safe internet content, the head of the Safe Internet League, an organization fighting dangerous web content, Ekaterina Mizulina, said on Thursday.

The first draft of the ranking was prepared by a group of Russian Civic Chamber members in February. It was then topped by Twitter, followed by Facebook and Instagram, with YouTube, TikTok, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki also on the list. The study was conducted just after a new law obliging large social media platforms to block content deemed illegal under the Russian legislation, which went into effect on February 1.

"There has been a reshuffle in the ranking, with the first position among worst offenders occupied now by Facebook, followed by YouTube and Twitter, which ... has changed its conduct over the last six months and took measures on turning down outlawed content," Mizulina stated.

She said that Twitter was compelled to do so after its pool of users in Russia shrank 10%, which amounts to 1 million users, due to the government's traffic-slowing measures.

Facebook topped the list after inspectors found fifteen acts of censorship acts against Russian media and companies, 124 instances of fake information, 87 calls for suicide, 112 publications on illicit drug-trafficking, 1900 calls for extremism, and 68 state insults to national symbols, according to the official.

The Safe Internet League is a Russian non-governmental organization with open membership aimed at eradicating dangerous web content, helping children and teenagers victimized by the spread of hazardous internet content, assisting authorities in fighting destructive content online, and participating in drawing up relevant legislation.