Russian Media Watchdog Demands Google To Remove Restrictions On RT's YouTube Channel

Russia's Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) on Saturday demanded that Google lift restrictions on the English YouTube channel of the RT broadcaster

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th April, 2021) Russia's Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) on Saturday demanded that Google lift restrictions on the English YouTube channel of the RT broadcaster.

"Roskomnadzor sent a letter to the leadership of Google LLC demanding that all restrictions be lifted from the RT YouTube Channel, which belongs to a Russian media, as soon as possible," the statement said.

YouTube previously made inaccessible for viewers a number of videos on RT's English YouTube channel, and also restricted the channel's ability to make live broadcasts, citing alleged COVID-19 disinformation.

According to Roskomnadzor, such actions by the YouTube administration violate the key principles of free distribution of information and constitute an act of censorship against the Russian media.

The watchdog has repeatedly pointed to restrictions that YouTube imposes on access to certain Russian video content. Last fall, the watchdog sent several letters to Google, demanding that it stopped censoring videos published by Russian media, including a documentary about the 2004 Beslan tragedy.