TikTok Suspends Videos and Livestreams In Russia Over “Fake News” Laws
The new laws pose huge new risks for journalists if they publish information which "distorts" the roles of Russian military operations.
Tiktok has announced that it will suspend video posting and live streaming from Russia, due to the “safety implications” of Russia’s new “fake news” Law.
The new law prohibits journalists in Russia from publishing information that “distort the purpose, role and tasks of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as other units during special military and other operations,” according to the Moscow Times.
A spokesperson from TikTok said that they had “no choice” but to suspend the creation of video content of Russian origin after the legislation passed last week, which comes with a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment.
The social media platform has recently been flooded with content accompanying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Citizen journalists in the field have used TikTok as a means to report on the conflict, while experts rush to fact-check misinformation.
The ban places TikTok among other tech companies such as Google and YouTube, which have also implemented temporary restrictions on Russian users as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.
International outlets like the BBC, Bloomberg News and CBS have reacted to the legislation by withdrawing their journalists from Russia, for fears of being charged under the new law. The director-general of the BBC Tim Davie has since stated that the law “appears to criminalise the process of independent journalism.”
While news outlets have labelled the invasion of Ukraine as TikTok’s first war, the social media company has been quick to distance itself from the conflict, citing that it’s “challenged us to confront a complex and rapidly changing environment.”
“TikTok is an outlet for creativity and entertainment that can provide a source of relief and human connection during a time of war when people are facing immense tragedy and isolation” a spokesperson said.