Twitter Traffic Slowdown Reinstated in Russia Over 'Fake' Ukraine Posts: Report

Roskomnadzor said it had sent more than 1,700 requests to Twitter over more than 800 offending posts.

Advertisement
By Agencies | Updated: 1 March 2022 18:00 IST
Highlights
  • Roskomnadzor was already restricting traffic on mobile devices
  • Pressure is on social media giants to squelch misleading information
  • RT and Sputnik have both faced accusations of using false narratives

Twitter said that it will put warnings on tweets sharing links to Russian state-affiliated media

Russia's state communications regulator said on Tuesday it had reinstated a slowdown of Twitter's traffic on desktop computers due to what it said were fake posts about Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported.

The regulator, Roskomnadzor, which was already restricting traffic on mobile devices, said it had sent more than 1,700 requests to Twitter over more than 800 offending posts, and would only stop the slowdown once all content it deems illegal had been removed from the platform.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Twitter on Monday said that it will put warnings on tweets sharing links to Russian state-affiliated media as Kremlin-tied outlets are accused of spreading misinformation on Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Advertisement

Pressure is on social media giants to squelch misleading or false information about the attack, which has drawn fierce international condemnation.

Kremlin-run media outlets RT and Sputnik have both faced accusations of using false narratives in an effort to argue in favour of war.

Advertisement

Twitter's head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, wrote that the platform has been seeing more than 45,000 tweets per day that are sharing links to state-affiliated media outlets.

"Our product should make it easy to understand who's behind the content you see, and what their motivations and intentions are," he added.

Advertisement

In addition to adding labels that identify the sources of links, Roth said the platform is also "taking steps to significantly reduce the circulation of this content on Twitter."

The announcement came the day after Facebook's parent Meta said pro-Russia groups were orchestrating misinformation campaigns on social media, using fake profiles or hacked accounts to paint Ukraine as a feeble pawn of Western duplicity.

The cyber security team at the tech giant - also parent to Instagram - said it blocked a set of Russia-linked fake accounts that were part of a social media scheme to undermine Ukraine.


Gaana CEO and Spotify's India chief join us on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, to discuss India's unique music streaming landscape. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. This Is When Apple Can Announce Its iPhone 18 Series Launch Event
  2. Vivo's OriginOS 7 Leak Reveals New Glass Styles, Control Centre Tweaks
  3. CMF Buds Neo With 35dB ANC, Up to 52 Hour of Battery Launched in India
  4. iPhone 18 Pro Case Leak Hints at No Major Design Changes
  5. New GTA 6 Gameplay Leaks Emerge as Group Threatens to Release More Videos
  6. iQOO Z11 Launched in India With These Features: See Price
  7. iQOO Z11 Review
  8. iQOO Buds With Up to 50 Hours Battery Life Debut in India at This Price
  1. Asus VM240 AiO All-in-One Desktop PC Launched in India With 24-Inch Display, New Gaming Accessories Tag Along
  2. iQOO 16, iQOO Neo 12 Tipped to Get Major Display Upgrades With Up to 185Hz Refresh Rate
  3. Black Myth: Zhong Kui Gets New 15-Minute Gameplay Trailer That Shares First Look at Combat
  4. iQOO TWS 5e Launched With 35dB ANC, Up to 50 Hours of Battery Life: Price, Features
  5. iPhone 18 Pro May Look Nearly Identical to iPhone 17 Pro, New Leak Claims
  6. iQOO Buds Launched in India With Up to 50 Hours Battery Life, AI Call Noise Reduction: Price, Features
  7. CMF Buds Neo With 35dB ANC, Up to 52 Hour of Battery Launched in India: Price, Features
  8. Bitcoin Surges Towards $70,000 as Liquidity Boost and Short Squeeze Lift Crypto
  9. iQOO Z11 Launched in India With Dimensity 7500 Turbo Chip, 7,050mAh Battery: Price, Specifications
  10. New GTA 6 Gameplay Leaks Emerge as Group Threatens to Release More Videos
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.