Russian telecom and media watchdog has sent a letter to Google demanding that it stop using YouTube video hosting for promoting unauthorized rallies, Roskomnadzor said on its website on Sunday, Trend reports citing TASS.
"Roskomnadzor has sent to Google a letter demanding that it take measures to prevent the advertising of unauthorized mass events on YouTube video hosting owned by the company," the statement said.
According to the telecom watchdog, "some structures" were buying YouTube advertising tools (push notifications) with the goal of disseminating information about unauthorized events aimed at disrupting elections at various levels across Russia. These push notifications are also sent to the users, who have not signed up for YouTube channels of these structures.
Unless Google takes response measures, Russia will consider this as meddling in its sovereign affairs and hindering democratic elections in the country, Roskomnadzor said, noting that it would give an adequate response.
Earlier on Sunday, the chairman of the Federation Council’s temporary commission for the protection of state sovereignty and prevention of interference in Russia’s internal affairs, Andrei Klimov, said in a statement that foreign forces used YouTube video hosting during the August 10 authorized rally on Moscow’s Sakharov Avenue in order to manipulate Russian citizens, encouraging them to violate law. The rally on August 10 was the fourth in support of independent candidates at the upcoming election to the Moscow City Duma (parliament). The previous rallies were held on July 20, July 27 and August 3, with only the first one of them being authorized.