Google paused monetisation of Russian state media across platforms.

In response to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Google became the latest US internet behemoth to prohibit Russian official media from generating money on its platforms on Saturday. 

It follows in the footsteps of its YouTube subsidiary and Facebook. 

“As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, we have paused Google monetisation of Russian state-funded media across our platforms,” a Google representative said in a statement. 

We’re keeping an eye on fresh developments and will take appropriate action if necessary.” The move was made public just hours after YouTube declared that, among other things, it would prohibit certain Russian media channels from monetising their videos. 

“We’re taking a number of initiatives in light of the exceptional circumstances in Ukraine,” a YouTube spokeswoman stated in a statement. 

“Our teams have begun to halt the ability for some channels to monetise on YouTube, including RT’s YouTube channels globally,” a spokesman for the Russian state-funded news site stated.  

YouTube channels make money by displaying advertisements when visitors watch their videos. 

On Friday, Facebook also announced that it would prohibit Russian state media from running advertisements and monetising on its platform. 

Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, a slew of sanctions was imposed on Russian businesses, banks, and politicians around the world. 

“As always, our teams are carefully watching new developments,” a YouTube spokeswoman stated, “including assessing what any new sanctions and export rules may mean for YouTube.” 

In addition to limiting monetisation, YouTube stated that it would limit recommendations to the same channels and that it would “continue to actively surface authoritative news material” in Russia and Ukraine-related search results. 

Videos from RT and a few other stations would be “restricted” on YouTube, according to the company. 

Germany banned RT in early February, prompting Russia to close the German media outlet Deutsche Welle’s Moscow bureau. 

RT, founded in 2005 under the name “Russia Today,” is frequently accused by Western authorities of spreading disinformation. 

YouTube stated that it had banned hundreds of channels in the last few days, including some for “organised deceptive behaviors,” the company’s word for disinformation. 

The social media network also stated that it had banned channels and videos engaging in concerted deceit and violated its regulations. 

On Friday, Meta (previously known as Facebook) announced that it bred Russian state media from running and monetising ads on Meta’s platform.

Published By: Jaspreet Singh

Edited By: Kritika Kashyap