On Tuesday, a Moscow court imposed a fine on Reddit for the first time, penalizing the social media platform for not removing what authorities described as “banned content” related to misinformation about Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, according to RIA Novosti.
Reddit has now joined other notable platforms under scrutiny by Russian authorities for not complying with content removal requests. This includes Wikimedia, Twitch, and Google, all of which have faced similar issues regarding the removal of content that the government considers illegal.
The fine levied against Reddit amounts to 2 million roubles, equivalent to approximately $20,365 or Rs. 16 lakh. The company has not yet issued a response to inquiries made via email.
In a parallel development, the court also imposed a 2 million roubles fine on the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization that oversees Wikipedia, for its failure to delete information deemed false by Russian authorities about what the government refers to as its “special military operation” in Ukraine, as reported by Interfax.
Since the onset of the invasion of Ukraine last year, the Russian government has significantly tightened its grip on media coverage of the conflict. This has included the introduction of harsher penalties for those who allegedly “discredit” the military or spread what officials label as false information.
The Wikimedia Foundation previously asserted that the information challenged by Russian authorities was well-sourced and adhered to Wikipedia’s editorial standards.
As one of the few independent sources of information remaining in Russia, Wikipedia has become increasingly vital since the state’s crackdown on online content intensified following the military’s incursion into Ukraine. Russian officials have stated they do not intend to block access to Wikipedia, yet fines against the platform have been recurrent.
The Wikimedia Foundation has criticized these fines, characterizing them as part of a broader campaign by the Russian government to constrain the dissemination of accurate and well-sourced information within the country.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
