TikTok shuts down in Russia amid “fake news” fears

To keep in line with new laws around disinformation in Russia, social media behemoth TikTok announced on March 6 it will suspend the posting of all video content from the nation.

TikTok has taken over social media across the world, but Russian users will no longer be able to watch videos on the platform.

The company announced on March 6 they have “no choice but to suspend live streaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law.”

They added that messaging in-app will remain active.

A new law in Russia has introduced jail terms of up to 15 years for any organization deemed to be spreading “fake news”. This includes news publications as well as social media sites.

As part of the conflict in Ukraine, social media has become an invaluable tool for finding information on the ground.

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“We will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority,” TikTok added.

In a larger statement posted onto TikTok’s website the company declared it was aware of “the heightened risk and impact of misleading information during a time of crisis”.

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They also stated they are working to try and find a middle-ground between people expressing themselves on the platform while mitigating harm.

“As a platform, this war has challenged us to confront a complex and rapidly changing environment as we look to be a canvas, a window, and a bridge for people across the globe.”