Russia blocks Twitter as Ukraine invasion escalates

[Mary Wilson]

Disturbing images from the invasion have circulated widely on the platform.

Updated Feb 26, 2022, 12:55pm EST
By Russell Brandom

As the invasion of Ukraine enters its third day, Russia has blocked access to Twitter in an apparent effort to stifle the flow of information, according to a report from the internet monitoring group NetBlocks. Beginning Saturday morning, NetBlocks saw failed or heavily throttled connections across every major Russian telecom provider, including Rostelecom, MTS, Beeline, and MegaFon. Russians are still able to access Twitter through VPN services, but direct connections are restricted.

Journalists on the ground in Russia have confirmed the block. A BBC reporter described access as “severely restricted,” saying “this message got through, but took a while.”

The motivation behind the restrictions is unclear, but comes amid a broader crackdown on social media platforms in the country. Friday night, Russia announced a new block on Facebook after the platform removed the accounts of four state-run media organizations, a move the government described as a violation of “the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens.”

... Internet access in Ukraine itself remains active and Twitter has not been blocked in the country itself. Some analysts have raised concerns that Russian forces could seize telecom infrastructure and institute an internet blackout as the conflict intensifies, but so far outages have been sporadic and localized around Kharkiv.


Twitter Public Policy@Policy
We believe people should have free and open access to the Internet, which is particularly important during times of crisis.

Twitter Support@TwitterSupport
We’re aware that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to keep our service safe and accessible.
10:54 AM · Feb 26, 2022

https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952006/russia-block-twitter-ukraine-invasion-censorship-putin

 

[Mary Wilson]

Russia Intensifies Censorship Campaign, Pressuring Tech Giants

Google, Apple and others were warned that they must comply with a new law, which would make them more vulnerable to the Kremlin’s censorship demands.

Feb. 26, 2022Updated 1:24 p.m. ET
By Adam Satariano

As Russia attacks Ukraine, the authorities in Moscow are intensifying a censorship campaign at home by squeezing some of the world’s biggest tech companies.

Last week, Russian authorities warned Google, Meta, Apple, Twitter, TikTok and others that they had until the end of this month to comply with a new law that requires them to set up legal entities in the country. The so-called landing law makes the companies and their employees more vulnerable to Russia’s legal system and the demands of government censors, legal experts and civil society groups said.

The moves are part of a Russian pressure campaign against foreign technology companies. Using the prospect of fines, arrests and the blocking or slowing down of internet services, the authorities are pushing the companies to censor unfavorable material online while keeping pro-Kremlin media unfiltered.

Apple, TikTok and Spotify have complied with the landing law, according to the Russian internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, and Google has taken steps to do so as well. Twitch and Telegram have not. Meta, the parent of Facebook, and Twitter have complied with some parts of the law but not others. ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/technology/russia-censorship-tech.html