Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has told some of the world’s most powerful technology companies to immediately remove Russian state media organisations from their platforms in Australia over concerns they are facilitating the spread of disinformation and promoting violence over the invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Fletcher issued a warning to the social media platforms in comments to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age earlier this week, urging the sites to remove posts from the Russian state-owned news outlets. He has now sent letters to platforms including TikTok; Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram; and Google requesting the immediate removal of the content.
Apple and Snapchat were also told to remove RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and Sputnik, the successor to Voice of Russia.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been furious, but Russian state media has instead described it as a security response to purported Ukrainian aggression.Credit:AP
“I am writing to ask that [your company] takes action as a priority to suspend the dissemination on your platform[s] in Australia of content generated by Russian state media organisations, given that there has been a significant volume of such content promoting violence, extremism and disinformation in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Mr Fletcher said in a letter sent on Thursday afternoon.
The minister wrote that he wanted confirmation from the platforms as soon as possible that they had complied with his request.
The move comes days after Australian TV networks Foxtel and SBS voluntarily pulled Russian state-owned news services, RT and Sputnik, from their services. Russian services have also been blocked or restricted by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube in Europe, following a request from the European Commission.
“Given the current actions of the Russian government, and the lack of genuinely independent Russian media, these actions are responsible and appropriate,” Mr Fletcher wrote. “In light of the exceptional circumstances that are unfolding in Ukraine, and in the interests of protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Australian government asks that [your company] takes such action in respect of content disseminated on your platform[s] in Australia.”
Earlier this week, Mr Fletcher urged the technology platforms to act responsibly and reminded them to adhere to the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation. A government source said at the time that more action would be taken if the platforms did not remove the content voluntarily.
Media experts including Macquarie professor Peter Greste have previously warned a ban such as this would be counterproductive because it could lead to retaliation against Western reporters in Russia.
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Bermet Talant, journalist and researcher at the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom, who spent more than four years working in Ukraine, said banning state-based media was not the answer.
“Blanket censorship isn’t a good approach,” she said. “What social media should do in this case is enforce their policies … and those outlets should be vetted for disinformation, threats and other violations of social media policies. Russian propaganda is not limited to RT [and] Sputnik.”
A Meta spokesperson said: “We’re reviewing the request from the Australian government. In the meantime, we will continue to label and fact check these outlets as well as prohibit ads and demonetise their accounts globally, including in Australia.”
Meta wrote to Mr Fletcher on Thursday, offering him time to discuss the measures in detail or any specific concerns. Mr Fletcher did not request a meet with Meta.
Google, TikTok and Twitter. In a blog post from Snap on Tuesday, the company said it had never allowed Russian state media to distribute content on its ‘Discover’ page.
“We are vigilantly monitoring our platform for any evidence of disinformation or misuse while we focus on providing accurate news coverage and information to our global community through our partnerships with media publishers on our Discover content platform,” the blog post said. “On Discover, we only feature content from verified media partners and creators, and we have never allowed Russian state media to distribute content.”
Google said in a separate post earlier this week that it had blocked YouTube channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe and indefinitely paused monetisation of Russian state-funded media across its platforms in addition to removing hundreds of channels and thousands of videos for violating its guidelines.
In a statement, Apple said it was deeply concerned about the invasion and stood with all people suffering. It would communicate with governments about its responses.
“RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the App Store outside Russia,” the statement reads. At least one other app linked to the outlets, Sputnik Trending, remains on the store.
The major technology companies have fact-checking processes, label content from state media, remove content that breaches their policies on misinformation and have diminished the reach of Russian media.
RT says on its website that it is an autonomous, non-profit organisation that covers stories overlooked by the mainstream media and provides an alternative perspective on current affairs. Sputnik says it is a “modern news agency” that delivers global political and economic news.
In its coverage of the restrictions placed on its social media presence, Sputnik quoted from Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzya, who said the state faced an “information war”.
Opposition communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland said she supported the government’s consultation with media and social media companies.“It is appropriate that the Minister correspond formally with digital platforms on matters of such grave import,” Ms Rowland said. “Labor has sought a briefing from government.“
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