Russian Watchdog Tells Google To Lift Ban On ANNA News' YouTube Channel

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2020) The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, IT and Mass Media, Roskomnadzor, said on Saturday it had asked Google to restore access to the YouTube channels of the Analytical Network News Agency (ANNA News).

ANNA News is a Russian news agency specializing on coverage of conflicts. On Thursday, the news agency released a letter it got from YouTube saying that all ANNA News accounts had been blocked and no new ones could be created. The agency considers this a factual obstruction of its professional journalistic activity on Google's part.

"Targeted censorship of Russian media is unacceptable and violates the key principles of free distribution of information and unhindered access to it.

We demand that all restrictions on access to ANNA News YouTube channels be restored as soon as possible," Roskomnadzor said.

According to the press release, the Russian watchdog conveyed its demands in a letter sent to Google LLC.

Roskomnadzor has also asked Russian internet giants to facilitate the promotion of Russian media and news agencies on their platforms.

YouTube has a history of blocking Russian media accounts on its platforms in the past. In July, the accounts of ANNA News and broadcasters Tsargrad, News Front and Crimea 24 were blocked.