Censorship: Cable Operators, Media Giants Block Russian News Channels over War in Ukraine

Censorship: Cable Operators, Media Giants Block Russian News Channels over War in Ukraine

In an unprecedented censorship of news contents from official channels, tech and media giants are blocking access to Russian media that provide counter narrative on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

PRNigeria observes that the censorship is deliberately targetted at major news platforms that promote the positions of President Putin on the conflict.

Major Canadian cable operators have signified their intention to drop Russian state-owned broadcaster RT from their channel line-up in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Shaw Communications (SJRb.TO), one of the operators has removed RT from its banquet, saying users who subscribed to RT as a pick and pay service would receive a credit in their next billing cycle.

Rogers Communications and BCE Inc’s (BCE.TO) Bell said RT would no longer be available on their systems. TELUS also tweeted that Telus Optik TV was joining the movement.

Meanwhile, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez praised Bell for restricting RT, saying Russia had been conducting information warfare across the world.

Rogers would replace RT with a broadcast of the Ukrainian flag, he said.

The European Union also banned RT and news agency Sputnik.

Alphabet Inc’s Google (GOOGL.O) has also barred RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc (FB.O), after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

PRNigeria notes that several media giants, mostly in America and Europe have censored contents that promote the positions of Russian against Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.

Censorship is imposed to block materials that are considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient.

By PRNigeria