TikTok suspends all workings and revokes rights to post and share content within Russia in the wake of their invasion of Ukraine.
The viral app has made this decision following Russia’s new censorship laws which threaten free journalism and promote “false information.”
For those unversed, Russia passed its censorship law banning allegedly “false information” from being spread regarding Russia’s military.
Any violators face up to 15 years in prison, as well as hefty fines and even community service mandates that include forced labour requirements.
The short video giant shared their plans in a statement that has been shared on social media.
It reads, “In light of Russia’s new ‘fake news’ law, we have no choice but to suspend live streaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law.”
“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.”