Russia's media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has issued a demand to Google LLC's CEO Sundar Pichai to unblock more than 200 YouTube accounts.
Government, Music and Bloggers
The accounts in question is associated with Russian media, government entities, public figures, and sports clubs, accoridng to Tass.
This demand comes amidst ongoing tensions over content censorship and geopolitical narratives.
According to Roskomnadzor, the affected accounts include channels from prominent Russian media outlets such as RT and RBC, as well as accounts belonging to musicians like Shaman, Oleg Gazmanov, and Yulia Chicherina.
The list also encompasses cultural figures like writer Zakhar Prilepin and designer/blogger Artemy Lebedev.
An Act of Censorship
The Russian regulator criticized YouTube for imposing restrictions on these accounts since 2020, with 83 of them affected just this year.
They argue that such measures violate principles of free speech and open access to information, labeling YouTube's actions as censorship driven by a biased anti-Russian agenda.
"This is an act of censorship. YouTube consistently favors proponents of Western ideals, while arbitrarily blocking Russian bloggers and journalists without explanation," stated Roskomnadzor in a press release.
