MOSCOW, March 10. /TASS/. The actions of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media to initially decelerate Twitter’s loading speed apply only to photo and video content and do not apply to text messages, Deputy Head of the federal agency Vadim Subbotin told reporters on Wednesday.
"Starting today, Roskomnadzor (Russian media watchdog - TASS) has taken measures of a centralized response, namely, decelerated the service’s loading speed. The slowdown will cover 100% of mobile traffic and 50% of fixed traffic," he said.
"It involves slowing down the transmission of photo and video content, without limiting transmission of text messages. Thus, users will be able to smoothly exchange messages," he added.
Subbotin stressed that, when choosing an enforcement measure for Twitter, the federal agency proceeded from the goal that inconvenience for users of the social network should be minimal.
According to the official, restrictions on Twitter will remain in effect until all prohibited information is removed.
"Roskomnadzor's actions are aimed at forcing Twitter to comply with Russian legislation in order to protect users, including children, from prohibited content posted on the Twitter platform - until it is completely removed," Subbotin said.
He also stressed that the watchdog has every reason to completely block Twitter, but hopes for a constructive position of the company. The official recalled that his agency had repeatedly warned the company about the need to comply with the legislation of the Russian Federation, but the company ignored the requirements.
Reasons for blocking
Earlier the regulator specified that as of March 10, the social network had not removed 3,168 pieces of content containing proscribed information.
"This includes incitements to commit suicide on March 3 of this year. As you know, on that day there were attempts among minors to commit suicide, which, fortunately, were prevented in a timely manner," Subbotin stressed. Calls to remove this information were also ignored, he added.
Twitter has not deleted information about the use and making of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances and precursors. There are tweets containing direct links to online drug stores.
"Almost no other social network allows itself to ignore the requirement to remove pieces of content of these categories. At the moment, Twitter does not respond to the demands of the Russian authorities regarding the removal of clearly prohibited information. Based on the current legislation, Roskomnadzor has included the dissemination information on Twitter in the list of threats," he said.