Russia proposal threatens to silence YouTube, Facebook

State-backed news outlets including RT have criticised what they say is censorship by US platforms, which say the measures are part of efforts to fight disinformation. — Dreamtime/TNS

Russia would be able to restrict access to Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s YouTube under a draft law aimed at punishing what backers call is censorship by the US platforms of Russian state-backed media.

The draft, submitted on Nov 19 by senior lawmakers from the ruling party would allow prosecutors, in consultation with the Foreign Ministry, to designate foreign Internet platforms as breaching Russians’ rights by restricting content. Penalties would include fines, as well as partial or total limits on access to the platforms in Russia.