Social media giant TikTok has suspended new videos and livestreams from being uploaded from Russian accounts. The move follows Vladmir Putin's new 'fake news' law which essentially outlaws speaking against the Government.
In a bid to crackdown on what its domestic audience see, Russia blocked several news outlets earlier today. Meanwhile Russia's parliament approved a law making it a criminal offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison to spread “fake” or “false” news about the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
Now TikTok, the video blogging app, has announced a "temporary suspension" of posting videos and livestreams from Russia. It's messaging service will be unaffected.
A TikTok spokesman said: "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, our highest priority is the safety of our employees and our users, and in light of Russia's new ‘fake news’ law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service in Russia while we review the safety implications of this law.
"Our in-app messaging service will not be affected. We will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority."
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