TikTok announces video posting suspension in Russia

The social media giant TikTok announced on Sunday the suspension of the publication of all video content from Russia to maintain the safety of its employees and comply with new laws against “fake news” in that country.

“In light of the new ‘fake news’ law of RussiaWe have no choice but to suspend live streaming and new content from our video service while we review the security implications of this law.” the company said on Twitter, although it clarified that its messaging service will not be affected.

“We will continue to assess the changing circumstances in Russia to determine when we could fully resume our services with safety as our top priority”, added the platform that has more than a billion users in the world.

According to an Insider Intelligence study released this week, by the end of 2021 TikTok had about 24.7 million accounts in Russia.

the russian president Vladimir Putin enacted on Friday a law that contemplates jail sentences of up to 15 years for those who publish “fake news” on the Russian army, at a time when it is advancing a war in the Ukraine.

The law received strong criticism, but he defended it on the grounds that the country faces “an information war” that requires countermeasures.

In his Twitter thread, TikTok described herself as “an outlet for creativity and entertainment that can provide relief and human connection during a time of war, when people face immense tragedy and isolation.”

In a longer statement on its website, the platform said the war “devastating” on Ukraine in addition to causing widespread suffering throughout the country, “It brought pain to our community and our people.”

“And as a platform, this war has challenged us to confront a complex and rapidly changing environment as we seek to be a canvas, a window and a bridge for people around the world,” Indian.

He added that he recognizesthe increased risk and impact of misleading information during times of crisis” and that it works to improve its security measures.

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