"Russia Block" Sparks Outrage on YouTube in China: "Trying to Silence Us"

Social networking service (SNS) companies have started blocking access to Russian state media. The photo shows a social networking service (SNS) application (app). [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] After social networking service (SNS) companies blocked access to Russian state media, Chinese state media and netizens have voiced their opposition.

On the 11th (local time), Chinese state media such as Guancha.com reported, "Massive SNS companies based in the United States are taking measures to limit Russia's voice and blindfold it." Also, on Baidu, China's largest portal site, the popular search terms consistently ranked news about YouTube blocking Russian state media at the top.

This appears to be due to SNS companies, including the world's largest video-sharing platform YouTube, restricting access to Russian state media.

On the same day, AP News reported that YouTube began blocking access worldwide to channels associated with Russian state media. Previously, only two media outlets, RT and Sputnik, were blocked in the European region, but now both the regions and targets have been expanded.

YouTube stated that this measure was taken based on its content policies prohibiting denial or minimization of violent incidents and making them appear trivial.

Additionally, YouTube included all methods of earning money on its platform in Russia as targets for suspension. This is a strengthened policy following YouTube's earlier suspension of advertising within Russia.

Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, also took steps to block Russia. On the 28th of last month, Meta announced it would prohibit Russian state media accounts from advertising or engaging in commercial activities on its platforms. Furthermore, Instagram attached warning labels to posts from Russian media, restricting their online sharing.

Russian state media protested these regulatory measures as unfair censorship.

Many Chinese media outlets stated, "Western powers initiated the information war first," and "In response, the Russian government has restricted access to some foreign media sites in Russia since the 4th."

Pro-Russian Chinese netizens criticized, saying, "Unlike the West, which claimed to uphold freedom while targeting China with criticism, they are using double standards to block Russia's voice from spreading externally."

One netizen remarked, "Watching the behavior of Western companies makes it clear that they act like state-owned enterprises of the U.S. government," and raised suspicions, saying, "They are blocking Russia's voice because they fear that the secret development of biochemical weapons by the U.S. in Ukraine will be exposed overseas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.