Twitter to comply with EU sanctions on Russian state-controlled media

Twitter will comply with European Union sanctions on Russian state-controlled media, meaning content from such publishers will be withheld for users in EU member states, a Twitter spokesperson said Wednesday. 

“The European Union (EU) sanctions will legally require us to withhold certain content in EU member states, and we intend to comply,” the spokesperson said. 

Outside of the EU, the platform said it will continue to focus on “de-amplifying this type of state-affiliated media.” 

“We continue to advocate for a free and open internet, particularly in times of crisis,” the spokesperson said. 

The update from Twitter comes after the EU said it would ban Russian state-controlled media outlets as the country continues to push forward with its invasion into Ukraine. 

Other tech companies, including Facebook and YouTube, have taken similar steps to restrict access to Russian state media.

Twitter’s announcement that it will comply with the EU sanctions comes after the company said earlier this week that it would add labels to individual tweets sharing links to Russian state media content.