In response to the invasion of Ukraine, several Russian state-owned media channels, including RT, have been demonetized by YouTube.
According to Deadline, the platform is “pausing” multiple channels’ ability to make money through advertising. Facebook’s parent company Meta has also banned Russian-owned channels from running ads.
As the war in Europe intensifies, Big Tech is under pressure to block Russian propagandist channels. Critics claim not acting like this allows misinformation to spread quickly.
“We will be significantly limiting recommendations to these channels,” a spokesperson said. “And in response to a government request, we’ve restricted access to RT and a number of other channels in Ukraine. We will continue to monitor any new developments and may take further actions.”
The online video platform has previously stated that it does not treat state-funded media channels differently when it comes to sharing ad revenue if these channels comply with the platform’s rules.
Twitter suspended all ads in both Ukraine and Russia to help ensure the visibility of public safety information.
