YouTube expands ban on Russian-funded media globally

YouTube announced Friday that it will expand its ban on Russian state-funded media channels worldwide.

The platform had previously blocked channels including RT and Sputnik for European users following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian state media has been pushing articles and coverage painting Ukraine as an aggressor and nuclear threat since before troops moved into the country late last month. 

Those narratives have continued in recent weeks, prompting calls for tech companies to limit the reach of Russian state media. 

“Our Community Guidelines prohibit content denying, minimizing or trivializing well-documented violent events,” YouTube said in a statement Friday. “We are now removing content about Russia’s invasion in Ukraine that violates this policy.”

​​”In line with that, we are also now blocking access to YouTube channels associated with Russian state-funded media globally, expanding from across Europe.”

Facebook and Instagram similarly restricted access to Russian state media in Europe and have stopped recommending content by those groups to all users. TikTok instituted a similar ban in Europe.

Twitter has taken a slightly different approach, slapping labels on all posts including links to Russian state media.