MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th March, 2021) The Russian State Duma's Committee on Security and Corruption Control has already drafted proposals designed to enhance the protection of Russia's cyber sovereignty and prevent social media platforms from banning posts of Russian media outlets, the committee's chairman Vasilii Piskarev said on Monday.
On Sunday, Facebook banned a post about the arrest of supporters of a radical Ukrainian group in Russia's Voronezh, shared by several Russian media outlets, including Ria Novosti. Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said that the parliament should develop legislative solutions to protect the rights of Russia's news outlets.
"We fully support this proposal. The issue has been repeatedly discussed at the committee's meeting. And we have particular suggestions and projects," Piskarev said.
The lawmaker wondered if Facebook's actions reflected the support of the social media platform's leadership for the extremist neo-Nazi groups that operated in Russia.
"I would like to hear from the social network's leadership an answer to the question: does the blocking of the materials, distributed in media by the Russian special services to inform their citizens, mean that Facebook supports the actions of extremist neo-Nazi groups on the Russian territory?" Piskarev said.
The legislator added that Facebook's actions were unacceptable and should be assessed in accordance with Russia's law.
In late January, a range of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, failed to adhere to the demand of Roskomnadzor and delete posts that called on minors to participate in illegal rallies. The Russian regulator drew up protocols on an administrative offense in relation to the engaged companies.
