London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Russia slows down Twitter over 'banned content'

Russia slows down Twitter over 'banned content'

Russia's media watchdog has said it is slowing down the speed of Twitter, accusing the US social media company of failing to remove 3,000 posts relating to suicide, drugs and pornography.

The move was intended to protect Russian citizens, Roskomnadzor said.

Twitter is widely used by the Kremlin's opponents and Russian users said they were having difficulty accessing photos and videos on the site.

The company said it was "deeply concerned" by the watchdog's decision.

Media watchdog officials said the disruption, which affected a number of Russian websites including the Kremlin, was unrelated to the action against Twitter and involved technical issues at Russian state internet provider Rostelecom, which was also affected.

The watchdog said it was reducing the speed of Twitter on all mobile phones in Russia and on half of desktop devices. It cited Twitter's failure to remove banned content which, it said, incited the suicide of minors and contained indecent images of children, as well as information on drug use.

There were reports that internet connection speeds in general had slowed down.

Twitter is the sixth biggest social media site in Russia and widely used by opposition figures including Alexei Navalny, who was jailed in January on his return to Russia after treatment for a poisoning attack in Siberia.

When big rallies took place across Russia over his detention, the media watchdog warned Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and other sites that fines would be imposed if posts urging young people to protest were not deleted. Earlier this month Russian authorities said they were suing Twitter and four other social media companies for allegedly failing to delete such posts.

In a statement later on Wednesday, Twitter said it was "deeply concerned by increased attempts to block and throttle online public conversation".

It said it did not support "any unlawful behaviour".

How Russia can slow down Twitter

By Cristina Criddle, BBC Technology Reporter

This is the first time that the Russian government has flexed its muscles in this way, using laws signed in 2019 that gave authorities the power to restrict access to US social media sites.

Internet service providers use network equipment, called deep packet inspection (DPI), which enables the government to track and filter content. Roskomnadzor will compel these providers to slow down the speeds of Twitter for users.

Officials have previously tested a "sovereign RuNet" - an independent network that routes the country's web traffic and data through state-controlled points. This means the Kremlin can block Russian connections to websites around the world or slow down the flow of data for Russian users accessing certain sites.

Supporters say it offers protection if the West ever tries to sever Russia's internet access. But activists say it gives the Kremlin the power to censor Russians from the rest of the world.

'No desire to block anything'


President Vladimir Putin recently gave the media watchdog the power to block social media platforms if they "discriminated" against Russian media. In a speech in January he accused social media giants of "de facto competing with states", playing an increasing role in the life of society.

Roskomnadzor warned Twitter in its statement that if it failed to delete posts containing "illegal" material then it could be blocked entirely.

It cited content containing indecent images of children; inciting the suicide of minors as well as information on drug use.

"Roskomnadzor has filed over 28,000 preliminary and repeated orders to delete unlawful links and publications," the statement said, adding that 3,168 remained unblocked. The watchdog highlighted what it said was a "striking example" of Twitter failing to remove calls for mass suicide by children on 3 March. Russia's investigative committee said videos and other information were spread to children on social networks at the end of last month.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was "no desire to block anything, but it is quite reasonable to take measures to force these companies to comply with our laws".

The main goal, he told a daily briefing, was for Russians to have access to all global resources, as long as those resources stayed within the law.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×