The American giant YouTube decided on Friday March 11 to extend to the whole world, and no longer just in Europe, the blocking of media financed by Russia.

“Our guidelines prohibit content that denies, minimizes or trivializes well-documented violent events and we remove content about the Russian invasion of Ukraine that violates these guidelines,” said a spokesperson for the media. video sharing site owned by Google.

“In accordance with these rules, we are also blocking, with immediate effect, YouTube channels associated with Russian state-funded media around the world,” he added.

YouTube says the content involved can range from allegations portraying victims as fake victims played by actors to videos portraying the Russian invasion as a peacekeeping or liberation operation.

A deadline for the blocking to be fully effective

On the other hand, certain publications containing incitement to hatred may be tolerated provided that they have an "educational, documentary, scientific or artistic" vocation, underlines the platform.

The site adds that it will take time before the global blocking is fully effective.

Like Facebook and Twitter, YouTube had already blocked media publications like Sputnik and RT in Europe, accused of disinformation about the war in Ukraine.

These same media have been banned by the European Union regardless of their distribution channel (radio, television, Internet).

In retaliation, Moscow banned Facebook on its territory and restricted access to Twitter.

Russia also announced Friday to limit access to Instagram, which it accuses of spreading calls for violence against Russians in connection with the conflict with Ukraine.

YouTube, like Google's search engine (Search) and the Gmail mailbox, are currently not banned in Russia.

On the other hand, the Californian technology giant has suspended the distribution and sale of advertisements in the country.

With AFP

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