A Russian technology regulator declared YouTube's and parent company Google's actions as"terrorist in nature."
The Russian regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that social media platforms are allowing advertisements that encourage Russia's communications systems and Belarus's train systems to be suspended. The watchdog made all of these accusations as Big Tech companies make moves against Russia due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.
"The YouTube administration's activities are terrorist in nature and threaten the life and health of Russian citizens," the watchdog said."Roskomnadzor categorically opposes such advertising campaigns and demands that Google stop broadcasting anti-Russia videos as soon as possible."It's unclear why Roskomnadzor is making this claim since Google stopped selling ads in Russia on March 4.
Russia has had several clashes with Western technology companies in recent weeks. The country banned Instagram, which it denounced as an"extremist organization," on Monday after its parent company, Meta, updated its content moderation guidelines to allow for posts promoting violence against the Russian invaders in Ukraine.Google has also blocked Russian state media across its multiple platforms, including YouTube and Google search results.