Threatened by Russia’s ‘fake news’ law, TikTok banned live-streaming and the ability to post new content further on its platform, in the Russian region.
The fake news law was recently passed by the lower house of the Russian parliament and is aimed at penalizing and jailing those who publish false information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many news organizations have banned their services in the country, following this law.
TikTok Ceases Operations in Russia
TikTok has been a worldwide sensation since its inception. The short-video platform amassed thousands of millions of followers in a short span and is earning well through various revenue streams. But, like any other social media platform, it’s plagued by misinformation issues and receives constant alerts from local regulators.
The company has recently been shaken by Russia’s new Fake News law, which the country has passed in the lower chamber of Russia’s parliament last Friday. According to it, anyone publishing content that the authorities deem to be false information about Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine may catch up with fined and jail terms.
1/ 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. However, the safety of our employees and our users remain our highest priority.
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) March 6, 2022
The law says the person who is found guilty of this act would be punished with a fine of up to 1.5 million rubles (£10,700) or a prison sentence of up to 15 years. This triggered TikTok to suspend its live streaming and post new video content on its platform yesterday.
Announcing this move, TikTok said
“In light of Russia’s new ‘fake news’ law, we have no choice but to suspend live streaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law.”
Well, the platform’s in-app messaging remains intact, so users can still access it to chat with friends, but can’t post anything new or go on live streams.
