SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 23 April 2024, Tuesday |

Twitter slowdown to remain until all banned content is removed: Russian regulator

Russia will continue to slow down Twitter on mobile devices until all information considered unlawful is removed, according to Roskomnadzor, the Russian communications regulator, as Moscow continues to make demands of Big Tech.

Russian authorities have lately made moves to tighten regulation of technological behemoths by imposing minor fines for content infractions, as well as attempting to compel international businesses to establish formal representation in Russia and keep Russians’ personal data on its soil.

According to Roskomnadzor, Twitter has been subjected to a punitive delay in Russia since March for tweets including child pornography, drug usage information, or calls for kids to commit suicide.

Twitter, which did not respond immediately on Monday, has stated that it does not allow its platform to be used to encourage criminal activities. It states that it has a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual exploitation and that it does not promote suicide or self-harm.

Videos and photographs load substantially slower on mobile devices, while Roskomnadzor relaxed fixed network speed limitations in May.

According to Roskomnadzor, Twitter, which has been fined a total of 38.4 million roubles ($511,900) this year, has routinely ignored demands to delete forbidden content since 2014, but has removed more than 90% of illegal messages.

“As of now, there are 761 undeleted posts,” Roskomnadzor stated in response to questioning from Reuters. “The requirement for eliminating the mobile device access restriction is that Twitter totally eliminates prohibited items discovered by Roskomnadzor.”

The regulator has stated that it will pursue fines based on Alphabet’s Google and Facebook’s yearly revenue in Russia for repeated legal infractions, warnings that the two firms did not respond to at the time.

“We further underline that the social network Twitter has been repeatedly found guilty of administrative breaches by a Russian court,” Roskomnadzor added.

    Source:
  • Reuters