Russia fined social media site Reddit and the Wikimedia Foundation, which owns Wikipedia, for failing to delete content that the Russian government considers to be “fake” about its military campaign in Ukraine.
A Russian court fined Reddit 2 million roubles ($20,365) and Wikipedia 2 million roubles for not removing the content.
The fines are part of a broader crackdown by the Russian government on independent media and information sources. Since invading Ukraine last year, Russia has introduced tougher punishments for “discrediting” the actions of its armed forces or publishing false information about them.
Wikimedia has previously said information that Russian authorities complained about was well-sourced and in line with Wikipedia standards. The organization has also criticized the fines as “part of an ongoing effort by the Russian government to limit the spread of reliable, well-sourced information in the country.”
Reddit and Wikipedia are yet to comment.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.
