YouTube blocks Duma TV: Russia warns 'platform has signed its own verdict', hints at ban

After Google's video hosting platform YouTube blocked the Duma TV parliamentary channel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in a telegraph message, warned people to be prepared for video hosting being blocked in Russia. She stated that YouTube has signed a sentence for itself.

"Duma TV" is said to have 1,45,000 subscribers on its YouTube channel with over 100 million video views. It positions itself as parliamentary television, where comments by deputies, broadcasts of State Duma meetings, and programmes by several authors were published.

“Apparently, YouTube has signed its own verdict. Save content, transfer it to Russian platforms. And quickly,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a telegraph message acording to Sputnik news agency.

YouTube blocked 'DUMA TV" and released a statement regarding the same. "Your account has been permanently suspended in accordance with our rules regarding export restriction and application of sanctions,” YouTube said in its statement.

Actions against Google

It is pertinent to mention that for "many violations of Russian law," Roskomnadzor, the Russian communications regulator announced recently "informative and economic coercive actions" against Google. According to Sputnik, Google resources have been flagged as sites that violate Russian laws by the search engines "Yandex" and "Mail.ru." Furthermore, Russian authorities have prohibited Google and its resources from being advertised.

YouTube's ban on Duma TV comes after the Roskomnadzor announcement on April 07 regarding "informative and economic coercive actions" against Google. Notably, there are other social media and online music platforms that have been banned in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. In addition to that, with an aim to stop the Russian military in Ukraine, most companies like Apple, Samsung, Google and Meta have stopped selling their products or providing their services in Russia. 

Image: AP/UNSPLASH